Source: The DiplomatThe lives of women in Balochistan are significantly impacted by the multiple challenges they face, which in turn have a significant impact on the social framework as a whole. It is a significant cause for concern that the rate of maternal death is much higher than average. According to the Pakistan Health Demographic Survey, the province of Balochistan has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, with 785 deaths being recorded for every 100,000 women. This is in contrast to the rest of Pakistan, which has a rate of 272 deaths per 100,000 women. Considering that the majority of pregnant women in these places receive treatment from birth attendants who are not trained, this problem is made worse by the fact that there are not enough gynecologists in remote areas. Because of the deteriorating situation of peace and order in the province, skilled birth attendants have been forced to leave, which has increased the vulnerability of women who live in these districts.
The issues are made much more onerous by the fact that there are limited transportation and housing facilities for medical professionals, as well as by the fact that female patients are reluctant to publicly discuss their health concerns due to the influence of tribal norms. Even though there have been efforts to standardize the services provided by 7200 lady health workers, the bulk of them are unable to discharge their responsibilities in rural areas. This highlights the disparity between the formulation of policies and their actual implementation. There has been a substantial disregard for health concerns in Balochistan, which has resulted in a meager thirty percent of the province’s population being able to access qualified birth attendants. This is due to the lengthy territory and low population density of the province.
Several health problems, including hypertension, anemia, and pre-and postpartum hemorrhage, are especially prevalent among women in the province of Balochistan. A great number of women are put in dangerous situations since there are not enough highly trained birth attendants or gynecologists available. However, even though the delivery of essential medications during pregnancy is of the utmost importance, the majority of union councils do not have enough trained authorities to administer immunizations. The deteriorating security situation has led to a massive departure of medical workers from the region, which has further exacerbated the already precarious state of healthcare services. The maternal mortality rate is compounded by several factors, including poverty, poor literacy rates, political instability, and natural disasters, according to reports published by Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF).
There are substantial deficiencies in the education sector in the province of Balochistan. The percentage of women who are enrolled in educational institutions is only 27%, which is one of the most dismal percentages on a worldwide scale. The presence of poverty and the absence of educational infrastructure, particularly for females, are two factors that significantly hinder the access of women to educational opportunities. Even though there is a sizeable female population in places like Khairabad, the percentage of girls who are enrolled in educational programs is disproportionately low. One of the most significant factors that lead to girls dropping out of school is the practice of getting married at a young age. The greatest prevalence of early marriages in Makran is 23%.
One such challenge is the difficulty of getting to school because of the significant distances that exist between them. As an illustration, in the town of Hoshab, young ladies must travel a distance of seventeen kilometers to arrive at their school. In areas like Dera Bugti and Panjgur, religious extremists have specifically targeted and intimidated co-educational institutions, which has resulted in the obstruction of educational chances for women.
In a nutshell, the current state of affairs in Balochistan calls for prompt and comprehensive measures to be taken to address the issues of healthcare and education for women. These are elements that are indispensable for the development and stability of any society.
