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Women empowerment is one of the critical dimensions of a feminist perspective. In patriarchal societies, women are oppressed and suppressed; hence higher education is considered a remedy to equip them to deal with issues arising from undue oppression and suppression. This study aimed to find the relationship between the attainment of higher education among women and women empowerment. The study has been carried out in Central Punjab, Pakistan. The study was framed under a correlational research design. Data was collected from a sample of 200 respondents equally selected (50 from each) of four different universities, including the University of Gujrat, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, University of Minhaj, University of Lahore. A stratified random sampling technique has been utilized, whereby 200 samples were questioned through a structured questionnaire. The collected information was analyzed by using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings showed a strong correlation between the attainment of higher education and women empowerment. The correlation was determined among one independent variable (attainment of higher education) and four dependent variables, including the power of decision making, increased political participation, economic independence, respect, and self-esteem.All variables have been found significantly associated with each other, which provides evidence that higher education attainment leads to women empowerment. Based on the findings of the study, it is concluded that higher education plays a significant role in liberating women from oppression and suppression.

Research in language and linguistics focuses on language as a reflection of gendered culture. This article argues that language reflects as well as preserves, propagates, reinforces and perpetuates this culture. The article explores the significance of the role of language, that is, words and labels, in the formation and construction of gender identity in the social and cultural set-up. The study is based on an analysis of 42 textbooks in English, Urdu and Pakhtu, used for teaching students from grades 1 to 10 in state-owned and privately run Pakistani schools. The article contends that language serves as a means to preserve age-old gender inequalities that in turn are manipulated and exploited to preserve social structures marked by gender bias, disparity and gender segregation. The research further indicates that the language of textbooks advocates masculinity and male domination in the decision-making process, division of labour, domestic and public spheres of activity resulting in the subjugation of women. The textbooks are markedly male-oriented as revealed with regard to creation, characterisation and modelling. Further, the community follows the Pakhtun code of honour, that is, Pakhtunwali, which is reinforced in the language of these texts.