Women's Economic Participation in Pakistan: A Status Report,

Shaheed F. and Mumtaz, K.
UNICEF Pakistan, 1990.

Chapters: 1. Introduction, 2. The Female Labour Force, 3. Constraints, 4. Policies and Initiatives, 5. Conclusions and Recommendations.

This UNICEF sponsored desk research was undertaken end 1990 as an input towards the preparation of the Government/UNICEF report "Situation Analysis of Children and Women in Pakistan". It looks at the fact that cultural constraints in Pakistan are a major impediment to women's productivity. Gender specific roles are very clearly demarcated by culture: women are responsible for the reproduction of society and servicing this collective within the home; men are responsible for their families' financial and physical needs and carrying out chores outside the household. The concept of 'izzat' or 'honor' predominates, and a primary ingredient in family or male honor is a man's ability to provide for his family's material needs. A complementary aspect of honor relates to women's chastity. Under these circumstances, women's mobility is greatly restricted, early marriages for girls encouraged, and women's employment in remunerated activities negatively valued. To facilitate the maintenance of 'honor' codes, society operates according to the rules of purdah: gender segregation and female seclusion. The implications of these cultural practices for women's economic activities are severe. These shape the perception of Pakistan's women, who rarely consider their own tasks and activities as either essential or economically significant. The report points out the problems involved in gathering data on women's labour force participation, due to the inadequacy of the existing statistical sources. It then takes a look at women's economic participation in the various sectors of the Pakistan economy, in rural and urban areas. The report also comes up with conclusions as well as concrete recommendations for improving women's access to information, training, skills, credit, and opportunities, as well as their quality of life.

Key words: Socio-Economic Status, Employment, Economic Participation, Female Labour Force, Rural Economy, Cottage and Small Scale Industries, Industrial Sector, Informal Sector, Government Employment, Girl Child, Education, Training, and Income Generation.