Details

Technical Note

Educator Copy

Gender Disparity in Pakistan's Labour Market: Issues and Challenges

Hina Uqaili, Misbah Tanveer Chaudhry


INDUSTRY :

AREA : Gender

ORGANIZATION :

LENGTH : 23

LUMS No : 17-013-2015-2

PUBLICATION YEAR : 2015

DESCRIPTION

KEYWORDS:

Gender Disparity,Pakistan's Labour Market,Issues & Challenges,Strategic Importance,Global Perspective,Pakistan's Perspective,Gender Gap,International Comparison,Factors Leading to Disparity,Policy Recommendations,Conclusion


DESCRIPTION:

Gender disparity exists in the labour market, at some level or another, across the globe. Statistics compiled by the Asian Development Bank and International Labour Organisation approximate that in 2009, global Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) was 56%, with the similar statistic for males being 81%. In addition, it estimates that the Asian and Pacific regions are losing more than $40 billion per year because of gender gaps in education and women's limited access to employment opportunities. It also estimates that in countries such as India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, the Gross Domestic Product would increase by 2% to 4% annually, if female employment rates were raised to 70% from the current 30%. For Pakistan, the situation is even worse. Females constitute nearly half of Pakistan's total population, but FLFPR for the country is limited to 22%, whereas, the similar statistic for males is 69 percent. Moreover, 78.3 percent of the working females are concentrated in low paid vulnerable jobs. In 2010-11, the share of females in salaried jobs was at 21.6 percent, nearly half as compared to men, which stood at 41.2 percent. This note analyses factors leading to gender disparity in the country's labour market by using two significant economic and demographic indicators of the labour market of Pakistan: Labour Force Participation Rates (LFPR) or activity rates, and wage differentials across the two genders or Gender Pay Gaps. Data from a variety of international and local databases are used. Associated issues and challenges are discussed, and policy implications resulting from the preceding discussion and analyses are presented.


LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Introduction to the prevailing situation of FLFPR in the country, and comparison of Pakistan's situation to international statistics. Importance of increasing FLFPR on a national level. Awareness of taking care of the needs of female employees should be a part of a company's Human Resource policy. Learning that companies can play a vital role in improving socio-cultural status of the society, by absorbing females as employees in their firms, and thus by playing their part in increasing FLFPR across the economy.


SUBJECTS COVERED:

Gender