Pakistan has currently 244 universities under umbrella of Higher Education Commission commonly called as HEC.Out of 244 universities, 99 are in private sector while 145 are in public sector. On city basis ,Karachi ,Lahore and Islamabad are major hub of higher education across country.
After transitioning of University Grants Commision,HEC was re-organized and new licenses were issue to build and operate a degree awarding institute. A constant flux of new Degree awarding institutes is seen across country.
Similarly the girl intake into university is on constant increase. In 2018 ,Forty-four percent was the ratio of female students while currently the female enrollment ratio in universities has exceeded above fifty percent(Precisely 52% ) of total Enrolled university students.
On Contrary the number of female lecturer compared to male lecturer is 50% lesser at entry level lecturer while at senior level the ratio is 450 Female Professors against 1990 Male Professors.
Now there are sporadic incidents where female students are not only harassed but are subject to physically sexual abuse because the so called Grading and assessment system of a semester is largely manipulated by the male academic staff.
The recent public universities of KPK(GOMAL University),Islamia university Bahawlpur,BZU Multan,Karchi university ,Balochistan university,Punjab university,UCP and many more came under severe criticism once such scandals were publicized. It is imperative to note that out of 1000 actual on ground gender based violence only single digit case are reported and majority of crime goes unreported.
Even there are the victims who committed suicide or even were murdered to keep them silent permanently.Governemnet and university admistration are least bothered about this societal dilemma where our daughters and sisters are unsafe at educational institutes.
Way forward to Tackle the menace.
The first and foremost requirement is to enhance the number of female teaching staff,lecturer and professors on equal ratio basis of 50 percent females.
Secondly the Female teaching faculty shall have an adequate representation at university administration and syndicate so that their concerns are not only listened but timely addressed.
Third is that every university shall develop a support system where any such complaint is addressed transparently and matter is not just suppressed in routine where victim is just blamed.
Universities shall devise a mechanism of student unions to genuinely address the concerns of student core issues.
In the Era of digital technology, all private and public universities shall develop a mechanism of surveillance through onsite cameras on campus so that a sense of security prevails amongst student.
On The legislation side, our current laws are inadequate and non-conforming to requirements and challenges posed by the modern time. We need to introduce new laws with the view to swiftly punish the culprits through special courts where trials are not lengthy and lingered on basis of technical and procedural deficiency. We need to conduct psychoanalysis of the teachers at time of hiring and induction. We need to show zero mercy zero tolerance who commit such reckless act of sexual abuse against own daughter/sister like students.
A psychologically strong woman is the founding pillar of strong society. A society like ours which is already a subject of Moral decay needs to address the real challenges posed by the on-ground stark realities so that with strong Morals we truly build a stronger Pakistan.