Zakariya Journal of Education, Humanities & Social Sciences

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

2026-01-15T02:29:43+00:00

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.

Impact of Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning on Innovation Performance in Tech Firms

2026-01-15T02:35:00+00:00

In a world where there is high rate of change in technology and high rate of competition in the global economy, innovativeness within firms has emerged as a very important factor that determines the success of the firms in the long run. This paper examines the impact of knowledge management (KM) and organizational learning (OL) practices on the performance of innovation in technological companies. The research uses evidence of recent empirical research based on high tech enterprises and technology parks to synthesize evidence on how knowledge creation, sharing, and learning processes improve the results of product and process innovation. The analysis concludes that the presence of strong KM processes, especially creation of knowledge and sharing of knowledge coupled with high organizational culture of learning is a strong indicator of enhancing the innovativeness of firms. Moreover, organizational learning bridges the gap between KM and innovation whereby firms are enabled to convert knowledge into physical innovative products. The results highlight the strategic value of KM and OL in enabling the tech companies to maintain the competitive edge in the changing environments, and indicate the practical ways of guiding managers to the culture of knowledge-based innovation.

Influence of Social Media on Political Engagement among Pakistani Young Adults

2026-01-15T02:38:30+00:00

Social media has turned out to be a revolutionary medium of political communication that allows dissemination of information quickly and leads to involvement of the citizens and especially the young adults. In Pakistan, where the traditional media and political institutions are usually accused of lacking credibility, the social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have taken center stage in political discussion. This paper explores how social media affects the political participation of Pakistani young adults and explores the connection between the patterns of social media use, political awareness, political discussions participation, and online activism. Based on the empirical studies and theoretical literature, the paper identifies opportunities and challenges of social media to influence the political behaviors. The results show that social media improves the knowledge of politics and participates, but it also subjects young people to misinformation, echo chambers, and polarized stories. The paper highlights that digital literacy programs, regulatory frameworks and civic education are essential in order to ensure the social media have the greatest positive effect on political participation.

Mental Health Awareness and Stigma among Youth in Pakistan

2026-01-15T02:40:37+00:00

The psychological problems of the youth have become one of the major health challenges of the current situation in the whole world, and developing states including Pakistan have their own cultural, social and institutional issues. Although mental health disorders have been increasing among youths, there is a lack of awareness, and stigma has remained one of the greatest obstacles towards help-seeking behaviors. This paper discusses the extent of mental health knowledge and stigma among the youth in Pakistan and the way in which sociocultural standards, religious interpretations, families, and school settings influence the attitude towards mental illness. Basing on the available empirical and theoretical literature, the article points out the disconnect that exists between the mental health needs of youths and existing support mechanisms available to the youths. The results indicate that though awareness is slowly rising as a result of digital media and education exposure, stigma, which is characterized by labeling, discrimination and silence, is still strongly rooted. The paper highlights the necessity of culturally sensitive awareness campaigns, institutional mental health intervention, and youth-oriented policy interventions in order to minimize stigma and enhance psychological well-being.

Socioeconomic Determinants of Child Labor in Urban and Rural Areas of Pakistan

2026-01-15T02:42:39+00:00

Child labor is a long-term problem in Pakistan that is influenced by complicated socioeconomic, cultural, and institutional variables. Although laws have been set up to eradicate child labor, millions of children keep working at the expense of their education, health and general well-being. The paper will discuss socioeconomic factors that affect child labor in urban and rural Pakistan by focusing on household income, parental education, family structure and access to social services. Convenient sampling was used to sample households in the chosen urban and rural districts to get knowledge about the number and motivation of child labour. These results demonstrate that low family income, illiteracy, family size, and inaccessibility to opportunities to acquire education are a high-risk factor that predisposes children to labor. Besides, the rural regions show the greatest incidences because of low access to education and chronic poverty. To deal with the issue of child labor, there is a need to combine efforts in form of poverty reduction, education, and community-based approach that would uphold the rights of children to acquire education and healthy development.