اچار نریندر دیوجی
افسوس ہے کہ اچار نریندر دیوجی کی موت سے ہندوستان ایک بڑی شخصیت سے محروم ہوگیا، وہ اپنے اوصاف کے لحاظ سے ہندوستان کے ممتاز ترین لیڈروں میں تھے، سیاسیؔ خدمات، ایثارؔ و قربانی، علمی قابلیتؔ، بے تعصبیؔ، اور شرافت و وضعداری میں اس دور کے کم لیڈر ان کا مقابلہ کرسکتے تھے، وہ پنڈت جواہر لال کے پرانے رفیق اور جنگ آزادی کے نامور سپاہی تھے، اس راہ میں پنڈت جی کے دوش بدوش قیدو بند کی مصیبتیں جھیلیں، اردوؔ، انگریزیؔ، ہندیؔ، اور سنسکرتؔ چاروں زبانوں میں ان کو عبور حاصل تھا، اور ان کے بڑے اچھے مقرر تھے، ان کا یہ کمال تھا کہ جب اردو یا ہندی میں تقریر کرتے تھے تو دوسری زبان کا ایک لفظ بھی نہ آنے پاتا تھا، اودھ کی پرانی راجدھانی فیض آباد ان کا وطن تھا، اس لیے اردو ان کی مادری زبان تھی اور وہ بڑی فصیح و بلیغ اردو بولتے تھے، علمی قابلیت اور تعلیمی تجربہ کی بنا پر لکھنؤؔ اور ہندو یونیورسٹی کے وائس چانسلر مقرر ہوئے، متعدد کتابوں کے مصنف تھے، ان سب سے بڑھ کر ان کی بے تعصبی اور شرافت و وضعداری تھی، ہندوستان میں اس کے جو نمونے رہ گئے ہیں ان میں سے ایک وہ بھی تھے، ایک زمانہ تک کانگریسی رہے پھر اس سے بددل ہوکر سوشلسٹ پارٹی قائم کی، اگر وہ کانگریسی رہتے تو آج مرکزی حکومت کے وزیر ہوتے، مگر انھوں نے اپنے اصول و نظریات کے مقابلہ میں دنیاوی منصب وجاہ کی کوئی پرواہ نہ کی، اب ان کی جیسی شخصیتیں مشکل سے پیدا ہوں گی، اس لیے ان کی موت ایک بڑا قومی حادثہ ہے۔
(شاہ معین الدین ندوی، فروری ۱۹۵۶ء)
The research examines socio-cultural stereo-typed beliefs and customs of Pakistani society regarding women’s conjugal rights and reproductive health. Islamic teachings recognize and ensure both categories of women rights; general and specific. Islam has acknowledged man and woman as equal and equivalent partners of the family system. There mutual cooperation lays the foundation of a peaceful, prosperous and healthy society. According to Islamic injunctions, the socio-economic environment of the society must ensure mutual trust, matrimonial harmony, and respect of rights for both men and women. The social norms need consistent evolution to be conducive to a happy life of individuals. It goes without saying that population growth must go hand in hand with papulation planning while prosperity is directly proportional to proper management of both human and economic resources. The present article analyzes the social stereo-types about women, their conjugal rights, family planning and care for women’s reproductive health, in the light of guidance provided by Qur’an and Sunnah. Islam.
Ever persistent gender inequalities in education have been subject of researches, scholarly discussion, and educational reforms in Pakistan for past decade. Education reforms, in particular, have explored possible impact of improved policy and practice on girls and boys opportunities of schooling. AKU-IED's Strengthening Teacher Education in Pakistan Project (STEP, 2008-2016) was one such reform effort, which aimed at integrating gender equality perspective in its interventions around improving the quality of delivery of primary and elementary education in the selected districts of Sindh and Baluchistan. The Cluster-Based Mentoring Programme (CBMP) was one of STEP's flagship interventions, which allowed a group of teacher mentors to help these mentee teachers of their respective clusters in improving their teaching practice. Besides improvement in teaching pedagogies and content knowledge, these mentors also focused on developing their mentee teachers' understanding of gender based inequalities in education and in society. Since these mentors played a forefront role in promoting gender equality in schools, it was important to develop insights into these individuals' own understanding of gender equality. This particular study, hence, aimed to investigate views and practices of two male and female mentors from a district in Sindh about gender equality. For this purpose, a case study method within the qualitative research paradigm was undertaken. The data were collected through observations of workshops and follow up visits of mentors, post-observation discussions, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The findings of the study indicate that both these male and female mentor had clarity on gender concepts. However, the application of these concepts in their work with mentee teachers reflected their struggle to maintain a balance between their theoretical positions i.e. gender equality and the socially approved conduct in local patriarchal context. The study further revealed that the female mentor faced consistent resistance from male mentee teachers who particularly contested the notion of gender equality. At times, these male mentees' participation in the workshops also indicated their disapproval of a female mentor assuming a position of a more knowledgeable person. The findings also suggest that the male mentor engaged male and female mentee teachers who generally followed his instructions throughout. The study showed that while both mentors were able to communicate different dimensions of gender equality through their work with mentors, their relationship with mentee teachers as well as their overall interactions with them were informed by the expectations of local patriarchal culture. The study supports the idea that mentors'