pecial initiatives are needed in many sectors to ensure that women workers make sustained contributions as deep-seated stereotypes continue to perpetuate the prevalence of unpaid labour in many areas.

This is the crux of a recent study conducted by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics and the United Nations Population Fund. The study has revealed that men dominate the formal market-based economic contributions with a 78 percent share of the labour market.

According to the study, women’s work in the informal economy is valued a lot less than that of their males colleagues. Engagement in unpaid work peaks between 30 and 33 years old when most women spend approximately five hours a day compared to nearly zero hours for men. “To address the issue effectively, concerted efforts are required to debunk the prevailing myths and to challenge the stereotypes that confine women to unpaid labour roles,” Tech Valley CEO Umar Farooq says.

He says educational programmes and awareness campaigns can play a major role in reshaping societal perceptions about women’s capabilities and roles in the workforce.

“There is a need to encourage a cultural shift that values and acknowledges women’s contributions. Such a change is crucial to ensure their sustained and equitable participation in the economy,” Umar Farooq says.

Reflecting on her journey, Noreen Ghaffar, a partner in Extreme Engineering Systems, says that her entry into the business world brought forth criticism from various quarters, including relatives, friends and neighbours. She says as one of the few women challenging the societal norms at that time, she had been mentally prepared for the backlash.

Noreen says that she faced considerable resistance in what was a male-dominated profession in a male-dominated society. She says she chose to block out the critical voices and remain focused on her work.

Balancing her professional commitments with domestic responsibilities, she takes care of her expenses, manages household chores and ensures that her children receive quality education.

She says she actively contributes to national growth by creating job opportunities for others, believing that strategic work contributes both to the national economy and household independence.

Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman, Saqib Rafiq, says promoting women’s inclusion in businesses and industry is a part of the chamber’s manifesto for the year 2024. “We have many women members, who actively participate in the chamber’s affairs in leading positions. We will create new opportunities for women to enhance their participation in the business sector.” Rafiq says he doesn’t see much difference in the manifestoes of the parties likely to form the next government.

Responding to a question regarding what the upcoming government should do to ensure women’s participation in the national economy, Saqib Rafiq says, every political party has women’s empowerment in its manifesto. Unfortunately, he says, once the government is formed, the priorities change.

Elections are around the corner. At this stage, political parties need the votes and support of women who make up nearly half of the voting populations. Once the governments have been formed, women’s empowerment gets off the agenda.

There is a need for a lot of work in this area. There is a need also to increase funding for women’s businesses.

There are a number of women in the gem and jewelry industry. They have the potential to sell their products in the international market but these women need assistance and facilitation to expand their access in the global market. In this regard, policy-level decisions by the government are required.

One often hears about loan programmes to support women empowerment. The national economy needs sustainable contributions from women, who are half of the population. The change is by no means impossible. However, most of the initiatives remain on paper. Once there is social acceptance of the change at the national level, the national economy can be transformed.

Saqib acknowledges that the working environment for women is challenging. He attributes this to societal conservatism. However, he also says that “despite these hurdles, there are encouraging signs.”

Saqib says he engages with educational institutions to promote entrepreneurship among the youth. However, he says girls are less inclined to participate in these activities, often refraining from raising their hands during these sessions.

The RCCI chairman attributes this reluctance to the restrictive environment in which they were raised. He says this limits their access to a few professions.

“Our women and girls exhibit remarkable talents. It is evident during our visits to various events and exhibitions. I urge parents, brothers and husbands to support and encourage women in their families to take the initiative in starting their ventures. When they achieve financial independence, they naturally become significant contributors to enhancing the family’s lifestyle, as well as the national economy,” he says.

An analysis of household spending patterns in Pakistan uncovered intriguing insights into consumption behaviours. The prevalence of unpaid labour stands out, notably in regions like Balochistan where women tend to start self-employment around the age of 50. In comparison, women in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have shown a trend for self-employment at a younger age.

There is a constant refrain in Pakistan that women do not ‘work’ and that their participation in the labour force remains low. The traditional approach to defining work and some deep rooted myths not only strengthen gender-related myths but also perpetuate the socio-economic problems.

There is a need to redefine gender roles in the society, the labour market and the household, where tasks are often assigned according to gender. There is a need for conversation to move away from the norms that perpetuate the idea that men are for meant for outdoor economic activities and women for indoor housekeeping work and care giving.

There are ways to change the tradition. For this, there is a need to initiate a dialogue. Policy interventions are needed to take the load off the women and encourage men to contribute to activities currently seen as female tasks.

Pakistan is a signatory to the sustainable development goals. The SDG 5 talks about gender equality. Target 5.4 states, “recoganise and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family.”

According to data published in the UN Women’s Progress for the World’s Women 2019-20 report, for every hour a Pakistani man spends on unpaid care and domestic, a woman spends 11 hours doing the same.

The informal economy heavily leans on unpaid labour, significantly contributed by women. This revelation calls for an urgent debate, especially considering the global trend of longer working hours and heightened productivity in ageing populations.

The writer is a freelance investigative journalist based in Islamabad. She tweets @thepenpk.com