Breaking Barriers: The Impact of Gender Norms on Girls' Access to High School Education

Abstract

This research examines the socio-cultural and gender-based barriers that obstruct girls' access to high school education in Pakistan. In conducting this research, the investigators employed a qualitative method, conducting semi-structured interviews along with focus group discussions in the Multan District. This report provides a window into the lives of the young women who are forced to drop out of school before graduation. Barriers are often reinforced by parents, teachers, and community leaders who conditionally and unconsciously shape a girl’s fate. Despite progress toward gender parity, women remain underrepresented in academic and professional fields. Progress is further stalled when schools aren’t available or when they lack the necessary female infrastructure and role models to motivate a girl to achieve her dreams. The study uncovered instances of nascent resistance among girls and some supportive parents who are fighting for their right to an education and a future that includes the possibility of a profession. It found that achieving gender parity in education requires community-wide strategies that emphasize educational access for girls as well as supportive school environments where role models helppave the way toward female academic achievement.