Women in Pakistan: An Economic and Social Strategy,

World Bank
published by World Bank, 1989.

This report is a documentation of the economic and social status of women in Pakistan. It uses socio-economic indicators to show the gap between Pakistan and other developing countries, and examines the interactions between human resource development, women's welfare and productivity, and economic development. It presents a three-part strategy to address these complex social and economic interactions, and offers recommendations to improve opportunities for women that are tailored to Pakistan's fiscal and administrative constraints. The report suggests ways to increase the participation of women as providers and beneficiaries in education, family planning and health services. It also recommends several approaches to improve women's access to extension, credit, new technology, inputs, markets and formal sector employment. This would enable women to raise their productivity, and hence their contribution to economic development and family welfare in several ways. The report points out that the 'invisibility' of women from economic activity excludes them from development programmes that could improve their productivity in agriculture or small-scale enterprises. Moreover, their participation in the formal labour force is also very constrained. The report also suggests the removal of overt legal and regulatory discrimination against women that reinforces a limited view of their potential. It notes that women's organizations can serve as useful channels for service delivery and sources of group support, and emphasizes the vital role that political leadership and the mass media can play in improving women's opportunities and hence their contribution to development.

Key words: Women, Economic Activity, Labour, Socio-economic Indicators, Productivity, Development, Education, Health, Population, Water and Sanitation, Agriculture, Industry, Formal Sector, and Informal Sector