WOMEN S NGOs IN PAKISTAN

Transcription

1 WOMEN S NGOs IN PAKISTAN

2 WOMEN S NGOs IN PAKISTAN Afshan Jafar

3 WOMEN S NGOS IN PAKISTAN Copyright Afshan Jafar, Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition All rights reserved. First published in 2011 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN in the United States a division of St. Martin s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number , of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN DOI / ISBN (ebook) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Jafar, Afshan. Women s NGOs in Pakistan / by Afshan Jafar. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Women in development Pakistan. 2. Non-governmental organizations Pakistan. 3. Women Pakistan Economic conditions. I. Title. HQ P18J dc A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: August 2011

4 To my Mummy and Pappa

5 CONTENTS Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1 The Rebirth of a Nation: Pakistan s Islamization 21 2 The Challenge of Fundamentalism 49 3 Better Government, Better Lives: The Campaign to Increase Women s Political Participation 75 4 A Rose by Any Other Name... : The Campaign against Sexual Harassment 99 5 The Unfulfilled Promise of NGOs 125 Appendix A: A Note on Methods 143 Appendix B: Gazette of Pakistan [The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010] 153 Notes 167 References 175 Index 185

6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe a great deal of thanks and gratitude to many people who have supported, encouraged, and inspired me over the last several years. First, I would like to thank all the NGO workers who were willing to give me a glimpse into their work lives. Without their cooperation and willingness to talk honestly about the issues, this book would not have taken shape the way it did. I hope my work reflects their true concerns and dilemmas, and contributes to the understanding of NGOs in Pakistan and elsewhere. This book is based on my PhD dissertation. Joya Misra has not only been an advisor, but a great friend as well. One day she told me that I should read Carol Miller and Shahra Razavi s Missionaries and Mandarins because she thought I would be interested in the issues. She was right. It was while I was reading that book that an idea for my dissertation took shape. I spent the next several months, under Joya s guidance, working out the details of the study. I could not have initiated this research, and certainly could not have completed it, without her assistance and encouragement. Even after getting my degree and moving on to a new chapter in my life as an assistant professor at Connecticut College, Joya continues to be the person I seek out for advice, help, or simply to share good news with. She has also shown me that it is possible to be a successful researcher, a good teacher, and a wonderful colleague. Mike Lewis has also been a great mentor to me in these last several years. He has seen me through two comprehensive exams, a dissertation, and, like Joya a fair share of job interviews. His sense of humor and support made all these experiences easier. He has always encouraged me to speak my mind, even when my point of view is unpopular, and taught me by example how to conduct

7 x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS myself honestly and decently in our profession. I would also like to thank Randall Stokes and Julie Hemment for their invaluable comments and for willing to work with me on my dissertation while I was 3,000 miles away. I would like to thank the Center for Teaching and Learning at Connecticut College for organizing a workshop with William Germano on publishing academic books. The workshop, and William Germano s advice, gave me the impetus and the knowledge I needed to put together a proposal for this book, and to think much more clearly about what this book is really about. I also wish to thank Connecticut College for awarding me the Opatrny Summer Stipend which allowed me to work on my proposal and manuscript uninterrupted. Farideh Koohi-Kamali and Robyn Curtis at Palgrave Macmillan have been amazing from the start. They have answered numerous s from me, and guided me through this process very efficiently. I am thankful to have had such wonderful editors to work with. I would also like to thank Rebecca Francescatti, who indexed and proof-read this book, for her thoroughness and diligence. My debt to my family extends far beyond this project. My parents have indulged, endured, and even encouraged unconventionality in a Pakistani daughter. In some ways, the seeds for this book were sown very early in me. My mother always encouraged and still encourages us all to speak forcefully, to not be shy, or timid. I inherited my father s love of reading and writing. As a young child, I was always surrounded by books my father s library an always interesting and stimulating place to retreat to when the days got long in Pakistan. Had it not been for my parents encouragement of my intellectual pursuits, I would certainly not be here today. They have been, and continue to be, my inspiration. My brothers and sisters have put up with a sibling who often didn t answer the phone or return calls because she was too busy working. Yet they never complained. They checked in on me often, sympathized where appropriate, and encouraged me when I needed their encouragement. I couldn t ask for more wonderful brothers and sisters. There is one other person without whose love and support this work would not have been possible my husband Michael. He has endured with me the ups and downs, and the highs and lows of

8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi doing research, writing a dissertation, looking for a job, and now writing a book. His constant calm and unfaltering faith in me saw me through the days when the work seemed insurmountable. With him by my side, I took on more challenges than I ever thought I could handle. Yet, his reassurance, his gentle pats on my knee with a you ll get it done, don t worry, helped me sleep at night, and maintain my composure during the day. He has proofread and edited most of my work, and engaged me in discussions that made me think deeper about the issues I was writing about. Yet, he persuaded me to take breaks when I needed to and watched old Frasier re-runs with me late at night. I am truly grateful to have such a supremely patient, caring, and loving companion, and father to our two wonderful daughters: Aleena, and Lilah. Our two babies have made me smile and laugh when I most needed it. The sounds of their laughter and singing, the littleness of their big hugs, and the sight of them asleep next to each other at night, brings me more joy than I can possibly describe. For all this and more, I am thankful.