New Delhi, April 22 Despite constituting nearly half of Pakistan’s population, only one in four working-age women participates in the labour force, compared to nearly four out of five men, according to an article in Karachi-headquartered The News International.
Among those women who do work, most are concentrated in agriculture, while fewer than 15 per cent are in formal employment. In major industrial sectors, women account for just 3.6 per cent of employment, highlighting the extent to which they remain excluded from the country’s industrial growth, the article points out.
These figures expose a troubling disconnect. While industries are upgrading equipment and adopting new technologies, women remain largely excluded from emerging growth pathways. This is not only a question of equity, but also a missed economic opportunity, limiting productivity, innovation and overall competitiveness, the article laments.
Women’s participation in Pakistan’s industrial workforce remains constrained by long-standing structural barriers: Limited access to education and technical training, restricted access to finance for women-led enterprises and workplace environments that often lack safety, flexibility, childcare and effective protection against harassment.
These constraints are reinforced by deeply-rooted social norms that restrict women’s mobility and discourage economic activity outside the home, pushing many into informal, low-skilled and home-based work or out of the labour force altogether.
At the same time, the unequal and heavy burden of unpaid care work, along with wider health and demographic pressures, further limits women’s ability to acquire skills, take up formal employment and remain in work over time.
The case for women’s economic inclusion extends far beyond fairness; it is central to Pakistan’s industrial future.
Without women’s full participation, economic ambitions will remain out of reach. The numbers are compelling: The IMF estimates that closing the gender gap in labour force participation could boost Pakistan’s GDP by up to 30 per cent, while the World Bank places the potential gain at $75 to $85 billion.
Even a modest 10 per cent increase in women’s participation could add 1.5 percentage points to annual growth, underscoring the power of inclusion, the article added.
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