Pakistan has been ranked 145th out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2024, with only Sudan ranking lower. Neighboring countries fare comparatively better, with Bangladesh at 99th and India at 129th.
Only 36% of Pakistani women engage in economic activities, and just 23% are part of the workforce, leaving over 40 million women outside the labor force. Women earn 18% less than men, meaning for every Rs1,000 a man earns, a woman receives Rs818 for the same work. Around 68% of employed women work in agriculture, with 76% of them unpaid, compared to 24% of men in the same sector.
Women hold only 0.14% of managerial positions, whereas men occupy 2.33%, highlighting significant gender disparities in leadership roles. South Asia ranks second-lowest in educational attainment, with Pakistan’s literacy rate at 67% trailing Nepal’s 78%. There are also notable enrollment gaps across various education levels in Pakistan.
The WEF report emphasizes the need for substantial improvements in economic gender parity to ensure women have equal access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making positions.
