According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Index, Pakistan ranks 142 out of 146 countries, making it one of the least gender parity countries in the world.
The factors that determine the ranking are political empowerment, economic opportunity, health, and education. It includes a wide range of social and economic indices, such as a low rate of literacy, a high school dropout rate, and a widespread reluctance to educate women.
Pakistan is ranked reasonably in the middle of the pack at 71 out of 146 nations for wage equality for identical employment, but being among the poorest in terms of gender parity. This represents practically the highest score the nation has ever received on any measure of gender equity.
According to the Labour Force Survey 2020–21, women make up 15.5% of the labor force. The same is roughly 19.9 percent in rural areas and 7.5 percent in urban areas, respectively. This may be mostly because rural areas have higher rates of agricultural participation, which skews labor force participation upward.
Equalizing women’s access to economic opportunities and educational possibilities is essential to closing the gender wage gap.
Additionally, the poll indicates that women make 82% of men’s salaries on average. Essentially, a woman who performs the same labor earns Rs 82 for every Rs 100 earned by a male. These are only general averages; a closer look at the data reveals even more variation.
It is noteworthy to mention that nearly eighty percent of working-age women are unable to make the legally required minimum wage on a monthly basis.
A fifth of working-age women work in agriculture and related fields, where they typically make Rs9,419 per month. Comparably, a quarter of all workers are employed in the manufacturing sector and make around Rs14,238 a month.
Lastly, about one-third of women work in the education sector and make an average salary of Rs. 29,131 per month. (Note: All wages shown here are for the years 2020–21; after accounting for price inflation and ensuing wage inflation, all of these wages would have altered dramatically.)
In rural areas, the gender pay disparity widens even more, with women earning 75% of what men do. Because it is difficult to obtain an education or a trade skill that could increase pay, nearly half of the labor force in rural areas works in agriculture and related industries.
While performing the same labor, a woman makes Rs. 82 for every Rs. 100 earned by a male.
Conversely, the salary disparity is smallest (89%) for women who work as “managers,” meaning that for every Rs100 earned by a male manager, a woman makes Rs89. Similarly, for sales and service operations, the difference is 85%.
Overall, the disparity in the representation of women in agriculture declines, allowing them to move into higher-paying jobs, and the salary difference narrows to 91 percent in an urban setting.
To comprehend the variation between urban and rural areas and to identify the underlying causes of such a large discrepancy overall, more detailed data is needed. Women’s employment options are mostly limited to low-value, low-paying industries due to a lack of education and related prospects.
Furthermore, the fact that the labor force participation rate is much lower in metropolitan regions raises the possibility that social and cultural variables are also crucial in maintaining low participation. The labor force participation rate is still low, despite the wage disparity narrowing over the past few years.
There is a pay disparity. Even though a sizable portion of people believe it doesn’t exist, data show otherwise. It is a fact.
The pay disparity shrank significantly between 2017–18 and 2021–22, going from 60–82 percent, respectively. Without access to more detailed data, it is challenging to determine what caused the pay disparity to change in this way, and additional research would be necessary to confirm the improvement..
Due to the depressing real growth rates in the economy, there is still a great deal of potential for growth in terms of earnings for both genders. In order to improve outcomes through the development of greater value-added skills and raise average incomes for women, it is imperative that educational attainment levels rise.
