Pakistani women: The gender equality struggle

23.03.2022

Marlene Pereira 

Pakistan and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

 Pakistan is ranked 153 out of 156 counties on the gender parity index according to “Global Gender Gap Report 2021” (World Economic Forum, 2021). This means Pakistan is actually one of the worst countries in gender parity and equality in the world.

 Women face extra barriers to access to education, health, justice, politics, and work opportunities just because of their gender, just because they are women.

 The numbers are particularly shocking, according to Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS) Report: “over 45 per cent of women are anaemic, 46.5 percent of women are literate, 10 percent of women can make independent decisions about their health, 25 percent of young women are part of the labour force, while only 39 percent of women in the country own a mobile phone” (ANI News, 2022).

 The gender equality struggle needs to continue. Constitutional rights need to be protected, inclusive  political and economic programs need to be implemented and equal opportunities need to be created and respected, only then is it possible to break the stigma attached to female gender.

Sources and further reading:

ANI News. (2022, March 21). Pakistani women continue to struggle to break biases.ANI News. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/pakistani-women-continue-to-struggle-to-break-biases20220321212903/?amp=1

The News. (2022, March 23). The Gender question. The News. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/943886-the-gender-question