Brother, what was the conclusion? Is it a myth or not? that is what the examiner expects at the end of the essay and it better be there. So if you support it in case of Islamic Systems, that means that gender equality is not a myth it requires the right conditions one may say.

as far as the written qualified friend of yours point of view is concerned, he is totally right. i had dealt with that in my own way. I dealt it under the Introduction to Genders section where i pointed out the predominantly there are 2 genders, masculine and feminine. The third gender is either a mutation (anomaly one may say) or a choice (more recently) and i am not taking them into consideration

Dear your approach seems better... best of luck dear.... and I concluded my essay with support for the myth in Pakistan as true...but before going to Pakistan's case I also concluded that west has gender equality so in a way I also contradicted but finally supported the myth in Pakistan

Regards,
Stay Blessed

__________________
Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.

Aoa.
I also attempted GENDER EQUALITY IS A MYTH.
In my humble opinion third gender is not to be mentioned in this context, as UNO defines gender equality in male female perspective.Third gender(Transgender) strives for recongnition not for equality.
I drew conclusion that Islam teaches perfect equality but our mal practices and failure of state has made it a myth.we need to follow Islam and observe rules to transform this existing myth into reality.

Dear just to mention that Islam does not promote equality but equivalence of men and women... They are not equal but equivalent as in some case men have a higher degree(strength and responsibility) than women but in some other cases(status of mother and her love) women are one degree higher than men, so the basic concept is that men and women are not equal but equivalent...

Source: Dr.Zakir Naik's Lecture on Women Rights In Islam

Regards
Stay Blessed

__________________
Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.

Dear I differ a bit over here. Allah grants equality: as humans they are equal with equal opportunities and everything. It is that when it comes to the details, they are some preferences for one over the other.

Example from Zakir Naik's lectures:

Student A =27 marks in 3 subjects Student B =27 marks in 3 subjects. however

Student A: Maths = 10 Phy = 10 Chem =7
Student B: Maths = 9 Phy= 9 Chem = 9

So although they both are at equal standings but one has some edge over the other in some specific area of life

__________________
Umar Abbas Babar
I Know I am Bad But When Bad is the Best, Bad is the Only Choice

Dear that is exactly what I said "equivalent".... I have this complete lecture in hard-copied text... What you mentioned by examples is equivalence not equality..

Regards
Stay Blessed

__________________
Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.

Dear brother I am not sure whether I am right or wrong if I point out the 2 genders are not equivalent. as far as I know, equivalence is there only if the 2 objects are of the same type. Genders here mean two types or forms of humans. They are equal since they are both humans

I have taken this concept from computing where:
int a =3, float b= 3 although both are equal but not equivalent opinions from others are invited and encouraged

__________________
Umar Abbas Babar
I Know I am Bad But When Bad is the Best, Bad is the Only Choice

Dear umarabbas, I second your view about men and women being equal in the eyes of Allah. However equal means equal in all respects, as far as men and women are concerned both are not similar in all respects, yes they are equal as being human but different in their functions as well as physiological development and many other aspects. Moreover Islam has granted both genders different rights that are equivalent but not equal.

int a=3 and float b=3 are not equal dear as int is integer or whole number by nature but float type is not a whole number by nature, though values are same but not exactly of same nature... so these numbers by nature are equivalent but not equal

Moreover for your computing (programming) concept, if you try to save
int a=3.5 and
float b=3.5
and compare them they won't be equal as int accepts only whole number so "a" will accept only 3 but "b" will accept 3.5 so I must say 3 is not equal to 3.5

Anyways I wouldn't recommend lengthening this discussion but would accept that you have your point of view and I have mine so lets keep our views to ourselves...

Regards
Stay Blessed

__________________
Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.

Though i didnt attempt this essay but in my opinion,'Gender equality is a myth' is not about describing women status in islam....its a contemporary issue...which means you have to present cogent arguments about male female status disparity...you have to suppose that it is considered that both man and woman are equal..and now you have to prove it wrong.i think maker wanna say women have been protected in most of the constitutions of the world and hold equal employment and education oppotunities but its a myth...our society still has not recognized it and it is still experiencing discrimination in almost every aspect of life....as for as third gender is concerned.....bro is right they are stiving for recognition not equality.....checker's focuss will be on analytical writing and the way you grasped the topic and ofcourse spellings and grammatical errors.
Finally islamic system can be described in recommendations which are not needed in this topic.

Additionally....if gender equality is a myth.....who created this myth? And How you can prove its a myth not a reality?
Gender equality in a sense?
Are their any people in the world who still believe in this myth?
What are the claims of those people who still believe in this myth?
How man and woman are equal in texts and unequal on practical grounds?
How our society deprives women of their equal status.
What facts can make you an effective myth burster?
If anyone answered these questions in his essay....i think he has maintained the relevancy.......best of luck

__________________
Plan with attitude ,prepare with aptitude,participate with servitude,receive with gratitude.

Gender Parity Still Remains a Myth in Pakistan
Introduction:
We inhabit a society where the hierarchy of gender has been constructed in such a way so as to legitimize the male authority over women. This social construction has conversely provided the basis for gender-based violence, inequality and discrimination in various ways in the callous patriarchal society of Pakistan.
In order to tackle this scavenging patriarchal mindset, the government of Pakistan, in particular, and independent organizations, in general, have come up with legislative and social reforms in the past to address the problem of violence against women and ensure the protection of women’s rights. Such legislative measures taken on national and global level; public awareness programs conducted by government itself and independent organizations to discourage violence, inequality and discrimination against women; and the fruitful role of media in discouraging the social practices which are injurious to women have encouraged women to part actively in the socioeconomic and political development of the country. They have resorted to “Quiet Revolution”, a term which connotes the unexpected entry of women in significant number into the labor market.
An apparent example of “Quiet Revolution” is evident from the fact that the number of girls enrolled for primary education has exponentially increased from 3.7 million in 1993 to 8.3 million in 2010. Similarly, the number of girls acquiring secondary education has seen a surge from 100400 in 1993 to 261000 in 2010. The real revolution has occurred in the universities where the number of female student was less than 15,000 in1993; it rose to 436,000 in 2010.
In addition, there are a number of sectors in the modern spheres of economy where the women now make up a significant part of the workforce. These include the traditional areas of teaching and medicine. Technically educated and skilled women have become the active players in the sectors such as banking, communication, law and politics. They also now make the significant proportion of work force in information technology (IT) industry. Besides, they are actively engaged in the livestock sector of the country. To put in a nutshell, the empowering measures, legislative steps and social reforms by government and other independent institutions have encouraged women in Pakistan to play their effective part in the socioeconomic and political development of the country.
The Current State of Women Rights in Pakistan:
Though acts such as above have ameliorated the position of women and strengthened their protection against abuses, their rights and empowering measures in Pakistan continue to fall short of projections and promises. Pakistan ranks 82 out of 93 countries in Gender Empowerment Measure and 115 out of 146 countries in Gender Inequality Index 2011. The cases of violence against women have exponentially increased from 7571 in 2008 to 8539 by December 2011. The female literacy rate stands at 40 % despite the government’s commitment under “Millennium Development Goals” to 87 % women’s literacy rate by 2011. This grim picture of women’s rights in the country certainly makes it incumbent upon the government, in particular, and international organizations, in particular, to conduct public awareness programs among the illiterate masses in the country and amend the constitutional provisions pertaining to women’s rights so as to safeguard them and, hence, empower the women.
Women’s Political Participation:
The current representation of women in national and provincial legislature is ensured at 17% seats reserved for women. They occupy 22.2 % seats in the National Assembly, 17% seats in Senate and 17.6% seats in the provincial assemblies. Surveys show that the women on reserved seats have been among the most active members of the parliament. Of the 69 private member bills, 51 were introduced by the women on reserved seats in 2008-09. The scenario was no different in 2010-11 either. These women parliamentarians challenged social and cultural norms and introduced bills against domestic violence, women trafficking, discriminatory practices against women, and bills pertaining to women’s reproductive rights. In addition, they have also introduced bills and amendments pertaining to the broad range of issues ranging from citizenships to anti-terrorism.
Legislation- Status and Implementation:
There has been a significant progress in legislation on women’s issues in Pakistan and several laws have been enacted for the protection and promotion of women’s rights in the period between 2010 and March 2012. These laws criminalize forced marriages and other such customary practices which are discriminating against women such as domestic violence, crimes and sexual harassments within the workplace. However, the implementation of these laws is largely hampered due to the prevalent patriarchal mind setup of the law enforcement agencies.
Violence against Women:
Women in Pakistan suffer all kinds of violence ranging from rape, mutilation, petrol burning and custodial torture and abuse, to disfiguring of face by acid attacks, ritual honour killings, forced marriages and marriage with the Holy Quran. The widespread domestic violence which ranges from simple beating, slapping, hitting, and kicking, to murder goes unnoticed as the society, tribes, different clans and the police view it as private cultural norm. Various independent reports and surveys conducted on women rights in recent years have shown an increase in such inhuman brutalities by 13 % since 2008.
Home Based Workers:
It has been estimated that the proportion of women in 8.52 million home-based workers in Pakistan is 65%. At present, however, neither these workers nor their terms of employment and their working conditions are governed by any legislation.
Minority Women’s Rights:
Hindus and Christians confront increasing social discrimination and stigma based on stereotypes. In case of violence and discrimination, women of these religious minorities face double jeopardy-both on account of their gender and religion. They come across multiple social problems including abduction, forced conversion, and marriages of women from Hindu and Christian communities with Muslim men. The worst of these crimes so far has been the forced conversion to Islam. Although the constitution of Pakistan contains provisions for the guarantee of freedom of belief and equal protection before the law, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has reported 25 forced conversions per month in Pakistan.
Honour killing:
One of the most shocking and ruthless crime committed against women is the “Honour Killing”. In our society, Honour does not really mean what it actually means. It is, however, meant as “The fundamental right of man to have the possession of woman as a property”. This form of “Honour (Ghairat)” not only restricts the liberty of women under the pretext of protection aganst immoral acts, it has also authorized (though not legally) men to take the lives of women if they defame the (so-called) family’s honour by the marriages of their own choice etc. This brutality has taken the lives of 943 women in the year 2011, according to the report of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Inheritance:
The constitution of Pakistan gives women the legal right to own property. However, it is the customary practice that dictates what women are allowed to own. Their right to inheritance is easily evaded under social and family pressure. These orthodox customary practices deprive the widow of their right to inheritance it they remarry outside the family of the diseased husband even though the law prescribes a prompt division of the diseased assets and women’s right to her share.
Another such inhumane practice is the “Haq-e-bakhshwana” whereby girls are either never married or married to Quran in order prevent the property going out of the family. Similarly, cousin marriages and “watta satta” (exchange marriage whereby one set of brother and sister are married to one another) marriages are designed to prevent breakup of property as the size of the land is associated with power and status.



Alternate Dispute Resolution Mechanism:
The alternate dispute resolution mechanisms such as jirga and punchayat undermine women’s right by continuing to perpetuate their voicelessness and vulnerability to physical, social and sexual exploitation.
Early Age Marriages:
Young age marriages continue to be a challenge for female empowerment in Pakistan. 40% girls are married by age 18, and 13% by age 15. One woman dies in very 20 minutes during childbirth because of early age marriages.
Suggestions:
Given the effective role the female parliamentarians have played in legislation and in order for the increased rational women’s contributions in all social and political matters and, hence, their empowerment, Government should increase the reserved quota seats for women to 33%.
Moreover, In order to ensure the implementation of the women friendly legislations in letter and spirit, gender-sensitization training needs to be incorporated as part of the fundamental training at the time of induction and must become the prerequisite for promotion within police, judiciary and the local administration. These departments along with medico-legal units and burn units in hospitals should be given proper orientation on laws relating to the protection of women against various forms of violence.
The government, to combat crimes of violence, must address gaps and gender-biases in educational and professional textbooks and training curricula for the advancement of gender-sensitive and rights-based approach towards public service. Besides, it should establish the new or strengthen the existing support structures (Women’s Shelters, Crisis Centers and Burn Units at hospitals for the treatment of victims of the violence) for the victims of violence.
Government should recognize the home-based workers and make arrangements for their registration along with registering their category of work. The role of women and their contribution in labor force need to be improved. They should be provided with equal opportunities by introducing the principle of equal pay for the work of equal value.
Legislative and administrative efforts should be made, in particular, to end forced conversions to Islam of vulnerable women belonging to religious minorities and, in general, the other crimes associated with minority women. The victims of these malpractices should be provided with effective redress and protection. On the executive front, the representation of women belonging to religious minorities against reserved seats should be ensured.
Furthermore, the government, media, educational institutes and non-governmental organizations should take adequate steps for the public disapproval of “Honour Killing”, a ruthless inhumane malpractice.
Recent amendments in Criminal law Amendment Act 2004-05 related to prevention of ant-women practices have criminalized the act of depriving women of their right to inheritance and have introduced provisions that carry physical and/or material punishment for perpetrators. The effectiveness of this legislation and other such legislations introduced in the recent years remains to be seen.
Effective steps need to be taken to bring an end to such dispute resolution mechanisms that exploit women’s rights.
The child Marriage Restraint Act a minimum establishes age of marriage at 16 for girls and 18 for boys despite the overwhelming evidence of its negative effect on their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Amendment should be introduced in this act to establish 18 year as the minimum age of marriage and to criminalize young age marriages with heavy fines and punishments. Inconsistency in the law on minimum age of marriage also needs t be removed.
Conclusions:
Though women have shown their worth as leaders, administrators and professionals, there is still a long way to go. Government, media, educational institutes, NGOs and other organizations, all have to play their part in helping women shake off the age- old shackles of slavery, fight unhealthy superstitions, develop their mental caliber and come out into the open field to share the social, economic and political responsibilities with men shoulder to shoulder.
Parliament has just recently passed the “The prevention of Anti-women Practices Act 2011” and “The Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill 2010” with a view to strengthening the women’s protection against abuses.
Government, on one hand, needs to take adequate and effective steps in order to insure the full implementation of these laws. On the other hand, government and independent organizations should conduct public awareness programs amongst the masses for the public disapproval of violence against women.
The media should also play its part in this regard by discouraging the social practices which are injurious to women. Women should be educated so as to make them aware of their due rights. Their active participation should be encouraged for the socioeconomic development.
Above all, the effective rehabilitation programs should be introduced by the Government, in particular, and the psychiatrists and educationists, in general, for those women who have fallen prey to acid attacks, rape, domestic violence, forced marriages or any other form of brutality. Such programs will help them overcome their inferiority complex and contribute effectively to the socioeconomic and political development of society.