Gender and Faith: A Comparative Study of Religious Pluralism and Women’s Empowerment in Pakistan and Indonesia in Pursuit of SDG 5

Abstract

By utilizing the framework of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, which calls for achieving gender equality, the article is an attempt to analyze the intersections between religious plurality and gender equality in Pakistan and Indonesia, the two largest Muslim-majority nations. The purpose of the comparison is basically to evaluate the difference between the approaches adopted by both states related to women's empowerment. It contrasts the ways in which the legal systems, governmental values, and civil society endeavors of each nation influence women's access to political engagement, education, and leadership in public and religious life. According to the report, Pakistan is among the countries with the lowest gender indices worldwide because of its long-standing patriarchal laws, growing religious radicalism, and restricted pluralism, all of which impede the country's progress toward gender-inclusive development. More women's empowerment and interfaith cooperation, on the other hand, have been made possible by Indonesia's pluralist government model, which is founded on its national ideology of Pancasila, legal quotas, and thriving faith-based groups. The article concludes, based on case studies of feminist movements and policy reforms that Pakistan can gain from Indonesia's integrated approach, which combines gender-inclusive policies, decentralized decision-making, and strengthened women's leadership with religious pluralism to promote equitable and sustainable development.