| dc.description.abstract | Pakistan is a developing country with huge population, men and women are almost equal
in numbers. Gender discrimination and violence against women is common practice in society.
The study has been conducted in one of the city of Punjab province, Multan district (Pakistan).
The population of the study area contains on the basis of different social classes. Media industry
is flourishing rapidly in Pakistan and every social class has access on it. The first objective of the
study was to analyze the people’s perception of different social classes about women
empowerment, socio-cultural and religious impacts on women empowerment in the study area.
The second objective was to analyze the media policies and media role for women
empowerment. Electronic media like TV channels can educate the women about their rights
because due to low literacy rate majority of the population cannot read or write.
In present study, to analyze the research objectives different methods were used for data
collection such as household interviews, key informants interviews, group discussions and
participant observation. In focused area verbal communication and interview method was the
best way for the collection of information because most of the rural population was uneducated
and they cannot read the questionnaire. For the collection of information from the educated
people questionnaire survey method was also used.
The main focus was to know the views of different people about women empowerment
and to analyze the media role for women issues. In the study area, it was found that women
belongs to upper class families are more empowered and their status is much better than middle
class and lower class families. Men belong to upper class and middle class families were in favor
that women should be empowered. Worst condition of women was in Wadera class families and
lower class families because women status in these families was just like a slave. Educated male
respondents were agreed that media can play a positive and constructive role for the betterment
of women status but contribution of TV channels is not satisfactory in this regard. Only educated
women gave the response in favor of TV channels that TV channels are highlighting the women
problems and they are getting some information from TV channels. Mostly respondents from
urban areas did not have any idea about the importance of TV channels and TV was the only
source of entertainment for them.
Although many people from the study area were agreed that women should be
empowered in a society. Women empowerment is also necessary for the development of a
country. Most of the women were victimized by men in rural areas and the main reason was less
literacy rate in those areas. Media could play a key role for the betterment of women and TV
channels should focus women issues in different programs | no_NO |
