Gender Barriers and Their Impact on Women’s Participation in Higher Education in Pakistan

Abstract

The entry of women in higher education in Pakistan is still characterized by enormous challenges that are based on sociocultural, economic, and institutional factors. There was still a significant difference in the number of women who were enrolled despite the significant increase in the enrollment rates because of the existing gender roles, family pressures, inadequate access to resources and the social attitudes towards educating women. This paper is a discussion on the complex gender barriers that prevent access of higher education among women in Pakistan, specifically a district in Punjab. Data were gathered with the help of convenient sample to gather information about female students in both public and private universities and how they experience and perceive educational opportunities. The results show that social expectations, economic and institutional restrictions indeed influence the participation of women, which leads to limited academic and professional development. The only way to deal with these obstacles is to have a multifaceted policy response, community involvement and institutional changes in order to develop an inclusive and equal learning space among women.