MY STRUGGLE FOR EDUCATION AS
a Girl without a Father
in Pakistan
by Mahreen
I
Photo by Sa’adia Khan
FALL 2019
live in a place where male dominance prevails. Girls are thought
to be feeble, too weak to compete with boys. I also live among
people who believe girls are bad luck. These beliefs have shaped
my life since I was in my mother’s womb.
My father was a sophisticated man who served in the Pakistan Army.
My mother is a simple woman, uneducated but courageous. My parents
had four daughters in a conservative society where a son is considered
a sign of success. My father was determined not to raise his daughters
in this environment, so he planned to move our family to Gilgit when
he retired from the military. In Gilgit, we’d have access to a good
education and a comfortable life. Unfortunately, my father’s dream
remained a dream: He died a martyr defending our beloved country.
JOURNEY OF HOPE | 15