Lahore: Amna Sheikh
According to the Constitution of Pakistan, men and women are guaranteed equal rights, with the state obligated to uphold these principles for all genders (Article 34). However, a persistent and often unaddressed issue that is continuously undermining women’s contributions in the professional sector is the wage gap. For every PKR 100 earned by a man in Pakistan, a woman receives only PKR 63.4 for equivalent work [1]. Moreover, certain radical religious factions continue to invoke a hadith that deems women as “naqis-ul-aqal” (lacking in intelligence), further diminishing their role and contributions in both public and private spheres [2]. Pakistan’s position at 142 out of 146 on the Global Gender Gap Index, with an index of 0.57, starkly highlights the severe gender inequality women face in the country [3]
The wage gap is fuelled by several reasons, such as poor political representation, low education among women, lack of awareness, and the rising tide of anti-women ideology.
Traditional gender roles, which emphasize women’s nurturing nature, often pressure Pakistani women into careers that are inherently low-paying, such as teaching and nursing. Religious expectations consistently reinforce the idea that a woman’s primary role is within the home. The women who challenge these barriers and join the workforce frequently encounter harassment, humiliation, and exploitation [4]. Alarmingly, 35% of qualified female doctors in Pakistan are not engaged in active practice [5]. Patriarchal norms further perpetuate the idea that a woman’s financial contributions is secondary to those of a male guardian, viewing her job as a hobby rather than a legitimate career path.
Workplace discrimination also plays a central role in the economic disparity between men and women. Women in Pakistan are disproportionately represented in low-paying professions and are underrepresented in higher-paying fields. For instance, while 46.9% of registered doctors in Pakistan are women, their male counterparts still hold a slight majority at 53.1% [6]. In contrast, there are 83,438 female nurses compared to just 22,595 male nurses in the country [7]. This trend continues in education, where women comprise 74.5% of middle school teachers, compared to 25.5% male teachers, yet at the tertiary level, only 25% of the faculty is female, with the remaining 75% being male [8].
The educational disparity is a bulwark that is hindering women’s road to equal pa. The female literacy rate in Pakistan is staggeringly low at 46 percent, compared to men at 69 percent [9]. This striking disparity has limited women’s ability from pursuing high-paying jobs and is stifling their career advancement. As Jinnah wisely stated, “with education comes light, and without it, there is complete darkness.” Without access to education, the people of Pakistan will remain unaware of their rights and are less likely to speak out against exploitation. The lack of educational opportunities not only hampers women’s career prospects but also perpetuates an intellectual divide between men and women, further restricting women’s access to better job opportunities.
Women in Pakistan are significantly underrepresented, particularly in leadership roles, with only 3% serving as corporate executives [10]. Despite being the first Muslim-majority country to elect a female head of state, women’s political representation remains negligible. This lack of representation severely limits their involvement in the decision-making process. Currently, only about 20% of the National Assembly members are women, who are facing discrimination and are marginalized due to their gender[11].
Pakistani women are fighting an uphill battle, with the widening wage gap being one of the most pressing challenges. Jinnah stressed the need for and importance of women’s equal participation in all walks of life to ensure the country’s progress and prosperity. However, lack of representation, primordial patriarchal norms, and the prevailing public awareness, among men and women, has exacerbated the predicament of wage gap, trapping women in an endless cycle of poverty. Women make up 90% of Pakistan’s lowest wage earners [12]. To break this cycle, Pakistan must urgently address educational disparities and confront the deep-rooted gender norms that continue to treat women as second-class citizens.
