Women in the workforce

The basic pillar of any nation’s survival and for its pulse to breathe is a stable and thriving economy. A robust economy can help any nation progress and stabilize itself to stand on its own.

However, not every country has a sustainable and stable economy and many countries still find it hard to have access to the basic resources of living.

One way to increase any country’s economic status is by increasing its trade engagement. Trade may certainly be called the lifeblood of any country to progress and utilize its natural resources, skill set or innovation to excel in international markets. In this regard, the role of men, women, students, enterprises, SMEs, and others is of great value.

Considering Pakistan, its economic policies have been undergoing drastic changes for years, but the arrival of the 2020 global pandemic and the 2022 flash floods added to the existing chaos, and it is apparently almost impossible to achieve its stability in a short period.

But there is one important factor that requires the attention of authorities: amid all the preparations that we do as a country, we always leave behind women and undervalue the role that they can execute.

Currently, the ailing fiscal conditions are pushing us to start engaging women and highlighting their role in all sectors, especially trade. Women equip art, talent, skills and willpower and according to UN Women, 49.2 per cent of Pakistan’s population are women. Keeping this in view, it is indeed an alarming condition for us that we have not included and engaged almost half of the population in the workforce.

I believe that women’s involvement in trade is directly proportional to the country’s progress and economic stability. Their role remains critical and significant as they possess core skills in agriculture, farming, IT, handicrafts, and many other areas where their skills can help Pakistan stand out in cross-border markets. It is rather unfortunate that we keep their role minimal and limited to homes or avoid positioning them in decision-making positions.

If women in Pakistan are given more opportunities to access labour markets, they will be able to seize foreign investment and show Pakistan’s name in the domestic markets abroad. Women have already shown their competitiveness in the trade sector globally. We can also learn from international practices that show how women’s inclusion in trade leads to significant growth in economies around the world.

Rwanda is a remarkable example of highlighting women’s participation in politics and creating a gender-inclusive society where both men and women benefit equal gains from trade. New Zealand, with a huge economy, has been recently ranked fourth out of 180 countries globally in terms of maintaining gender equality as per the World Economic Forum 2021. This shows that women’s participation in any workforce can lead to big success.

But are we listening to those who propose the inclusion of women in managerial positions? Do we encourage our women to become leaders? Unfortunately, we do not let women lead us. We do not allow women to guide us, and so today many competent women are seeking opportunities abroad and trying to leave Pakistan at the earliest because unfortunately, we do not offer the basic support to the talent hub of women in our country.

Women in some areas of Sindh and Punjab are good at making traditional chaddar, dupatta, tablecloth and other cutlery or decoration items that can be sold abroad with fair pricing. Women require support from authorities like chambers of commerce or the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) that can facilitate them in their expos, galas or any such events where they can display their local culture and art.

Women here also have good knowledge of IT and can bring about creative solutions to address problems in agriculture, software, or other matters. Women have also found creative solutions like co-working space – an idea working successfully abroad and in metropolitan cities. The first woman-owned co-working space in Islamabad has been launched and is being managed successfully under a young female leader. Giving opportunities and trusting women can bring fruitful results but only if we allow and trust them to experiment themselves.

Involving and engaging women in the trade sector can help enhance Pakistan’s economy and increase their visibility ratio in the workforce. There is a need to involve women in all fields, in particular trade, because they have the potential to overcome the vicious cycle of weak economy and fiscal conditions of the country.

But for every woman out there: if they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair and sit and show them your right potential. Women naturally have the courage it takes to take risks and try new things and technologies.

Women can easily lead generations but with the right chance and opportunity to excel. As a nation, we must support women in all fields be it engineering, nutrition, home economics, law, psychology, business, or trade to prosper today and to excel tomorrow.

The writer can be reached at: xainabbaloch18@gmail.com