KARACHI:
Globally, countries that have high gender parity are the ones that enjoy high levels of economic development. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, women’s participation in the labour force remains low as most women prioritise domestic work over professional careers.
In a recent World Economic Forum report on global gender parity, Pakistan ranked 145 out of 146 countries. This exemplifies that most Pakistani women are unempowered and oppressed. Rural women have little to no opportunities to study and even women in urban areas usually do not seek employment after completing their education due to a lack of agency, family pressure, etc. Women are also faced with significant barriers at the workplace in the form of unfriendly work environments, absence of growth opportunities, etc.
The relevant government departments must devise a strategy to empower women and create policies that allow women to move up the social ladder. Education should be available and accessible to all. Both public and private organisations should have day-care centres and must offer women the same opportunities as their male counterparts. We must forgo our retrogressive and conservative ideas and support the women around us to promote both societal and economic development.
Anwish Shafi
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2022.
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