Female participation in govt. jobs remains low

Despite outperforming the federal government in women's representation, Sindh still has a strikingly low number of women in provincial jobs. This gap reflects persistent social barriers, as women's strong educational participation has not translated into equal opportunities in public-sector employment.

Although over 50 per cent of girls in the province receive education, women make up less than 10 per cent of government employees, largely due to social barriers and discrimination. While no official data exists, application statistics provide insight: in June 2023, over 122,000 candidates appeared for Sindh government job tests conducted by SIBA Testing Services, but fewer than 8 per cent were women.

A woman working in the Sindh Secretariat, speaking on the condition of anonymity, shared that she had been working there since 2015 and had faced many issues during this time, particularly inappropriate behavior from men, which often caused her ample distress. "It is true that our society still does not provide a favorable environment for women to work, but if a woman gathers the courage to move forward, she can overcome all kinds of obstacles and progress," opined the employee.

It is worth noting that nearly 48 per cent of Sindh's total population consists of women. Before 2015, the quota for women in provincial jobs was 5 per cent, which was later increased to 7 per cent, and in 2015 it was raised to 15 per cent. Despite this, there has not been a significant increase in the number of women in government jobs.

According to official figures, women's representation in federal government jobs is even lower than in Sindh. A 10 per cent quota is reserved for women in federal government institutions, but in practice their numbers remain very low. According to Establishment Division data for 2022-23, women make up approximately 5 per cent of federal government employees.

Despite better educational participation among girls in Sindh, a corresponding increase in their representation in government employment has not been observed. According to the 2017 census, the literacy rate among girls in the province was 45.9 per cent, which increased to 50.2 per cent in the 2023 census.

Shireen Narejo, a retired female officer, felt that the overall situation regarding women's development in rural areas of the province had improved however, the general environment was still not conducive for women. "There are still obstacles plaguing women's employment and education. When women step out of their homes for jobs, they do not have access to the required facilities. Suitable transport and accommodation are also not available to them. I myself have gone through these circumstances and faced these difficulties," said Narejo.
Narejo further revealed that due to various social issues, women also suffered from a lack of self-confidence. "Even among girls who are selected through the MDCAT exam, the majority do not have the courage to become part of the existing system and work after completing their education. In our society, there are very few girls or women who remain steadfast in the face of social issues and have the courage to confront social barriers," explained Narejo.

Social scientist and researcher Nasir Memon informed that although the proportion of girls receiving higher education had increased in both urban and rural areas of the province, their representation in government jobs remained extremely poor since the system was still dominated by men and girls faced serious social barriers.

"Compared to the public sector, the number of women working in the private sector has increased, but overall, workplaces do not provide a suitable environment for women. The behavior of male colleagues towards them is often inappropriate. Working women lack proper transport facilities, and daycare centers for working mothers with young children are also not available in every area," said Memon.