logo
Wage employment, entrepreneurship: Pakistan faces significant gender gaps: World Bank

Wage employment, entrepreneurship: Pakistan faces significant gender gaps: World Bank

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan faces significant gender gaps in wage employment, entrepreneurship, and access to productive assets, with an estimated 47 million women are not in the labor force, and around 55 million unbanked, says the World Bank.
The bank in its report, 'Women's Economic Empowerment in Pakistan: An Evidence Guided Toolkit for More Inclusive Policies,' stated that Pakistan faces a plethora of economic, human capital, political, and climate-related challenges.
The role of women in addressing these challenges is crucial to Pakistan meeting its full potential for inclusive growth and competitiveness.
Economy's growth model needs urgent overhaul: World Bank
An estimated 47 million women are not in the labour force, and there are 55 million unbanked women.
The gender gap in earnings in Pakistan stands at 18 percent. Employed women earn less than their men counterparts. This means that, for every Rs1,000 earned by an employed man, an employed woman earns Rs818. The gender gap in earnings has remained stable over the years, from around 40 percent in 1999 to 39 percent in 2017.
However, recent data indicate there has been a significant narrowing of the gap, to 18 percent. This large reduction is driven by an increase in earnings among women and a dip in men's earnings.
Improving gender equality in the economy and society thus appears to be a necessary path to addressing many of the country's development problems, such as the country's stagnating per capita income, human capitalcrisis, and the recent worrisome increase in poverty.
Pakistani women need more visibility and autonomy in all spheres of the economy and society. Their legal rights lag those of their peers in other South Asian countries and are lower than the global average.
The report noted that women in Pakistan face significant barriers to entry in the labour force, securing fair, higher wages, physically accessing markets to develop their businesses, accessing financial services, owning productive assets, especially land and other property, having an equal say over important day-to-day decisions, and living lives free of gender-based violence.
Overcoming these and other like barriers requires solutions that go beyond one size fits all and, instead, focus on addressing problems by putting women and girls at the forefront of policy design.
Women in Pakistan also contend with critical issues related to safety, mobility, agency, and restrictive social norms.
The report provides an in-depth analysis of these disparities and introduces an evidence-based policy toolkit that prioritises actionable solutions drawn from global and regional evidence while highlighting areas that require further research.
Utilising extensive micro data from national and regional surveys, it offers a comprehensive 20-year review of trends and insights into women's work and empowerment across multiple indicators, paving the way for targeted, data-driven policy interventions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

PM vows to modernise education centre with ASU partnership
PM vows to modernise education centre with ASU partnership

Business Recorder

time19 minutes ago

  • Business Recorder

PM vows to modernise education centre with ASU partnership

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday pledged to modernise the country's education sector through a partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), aimed at enhancing technical and vocational training. During a meeting with ASU officials led by Doug Becker, founder and chairman of Cintana Education, Sharif said that aligning Pakistan's education standards with international benchmarks was a government priority. 'All government education policies are centred on creating employment opportunities for youth based on their professional skills,' he added. The partnership includes the establishment of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), which is expected to start operations this year and provide world-class training to Pakistani students. The prime minister highlighted reforms made to the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), directing the commission to collaborate closely with ASU to bring innovation to vocational education. Doug Becker assured ASU's full support in providing resources and expertise for the initiative. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

SBP should reduce interest rate to 6pc: S M Tanveer
SBP should reduce interest rate to 6pc: S M Tanveer

Business Recorder

time19 minutes ago

  • Business Recorder

SBP should reduce interest rate to 6pc: S M Tanveer

LAHORE: S M Tanveer, Patron-in-Chief UBG, has stated that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should reduce the interest rate to 6% given the fact that the country's CPI index is 0.3%, while the average inflation is 4% at present. He said the International Monetary Fund also recommends keeping interest rates positive relative to inflation. According to him, Pakistan's current interest rate of 11% is excessively high especially considering the inflation rate is around 4%. With the upcoming monetary policy announcement on July 30, he has urged the State Bank of Pakistan to reduce the interest rate in order to stimulate economic growth. Tanveer pointed out that the government has accounted for Rs8.5 trillion under the head of bank interest rate, and reducing the interest rate to 6% could save approximately Rs3.5 trillion. This reduction would have a positive impact on the economy, particularly for industries struggling with high interest rates and electricity costs. Pakistani exports could become more competitive globally, as interest rates in international markets range between 4-5%. However, he said, the recent budget measures, including sections 37A and 37B granting powers of arrest and detention will further stifle business growth. Tanveer emphasized the need for a business-friendly environment, urging the government to reconsider these measures and focus on creating conditions that foster growth, investment, and competitiveness. It may be noted that the State Bank of Pakistan has maintained a policy rate of 11% recently, citing inflation and external sector vulnerabilities. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

Inaugural meeting of Pakistan-Turkiye JSC held
Inaugural meeting of Pakistan-Turkiye JSC held

Business Recorder

time19 minutes ago

  • Business Recorder

Inaugural meeting of Pakistan-Turkiye JSC held

ISLAMABAD: The inaugural meeting of the Pakistan-Türkiye Joint Standing Committee (JSC) on Security, Defence and Intelligence was held Thursday in Islamabad. The Turkish delegation was led by Director General for South Asia, Ambassador Cihad Erginay, and the Pakistani side was headed by the Additional Secretary (Afghanistan and West Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Syed Ali Asad Gillani. The JSC on Security, Defence and Intelligence was created after the 7th Session of High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) between Pakistan and Türkiye on 12-13 February 2025. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store