The gender inequality gap

In its Global Gender Gap Report 2020, the Geneva-based World Economic Forum ranks Pakistan at 151st place among 153 countries, just ahead of Iraq and Yemen, making it the third worst country in terms of gender inequality. The rankings are based on countries' progress towards gender parity in four dimensions: economic participation and opportunities, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. Pakistan is rated at 150th, 143rd, 149th and 93rd position, respectively, on these criteria. According to the report, while a majority of countries has bridged or nearly bridged the gender gap, Pakistan lags behind in all dimensions. And among the seven South Asian nations its performance is the worst on all scores.

This country's overall status, however, is as surprising as it is disappointing. Considering the prevailing conditions in several other counties, especially in certain Arab states and closer home in Afghanistan, it is hard to believe they are ranked better than Pakistan. Indeed, women in Pakistan face discrimination everywhere: at home, in access to education and healthcare, in employment opportunities, and rising in their chosen professions. In some parts of the country they are denied even the right to vote. There are too many social barriers to advancement. Yet those who have the will and the ability to compete with men can and do so. Many have entered professions previously considered male domain as engineers, business executives, lawyers, journalists, army officers, air force pilots and more. Some have attained prominence in politics. That surely does not mean they are better off than those in most other countries, only that women do not seem to fare as badly in this county as the present report suggests.

It also notes that in economic participation Pakistan's score fell from 112 in 2006 to 150 at this time; in educational attainment from 110 to 143; in health and survival from 112 to 149; and in political empowerment from 37 to present 93. This slide in scores is rather puzzling, considering that there have been no policy reversals during this period in any of these areas that could increase the gap in gender equality. Nor have the regressive elements in society made any new attempt to deny educational or other opportunities to women. In fact, the report notes that while in 2017 there was not a single woman minister, as of January 1 this year; there have been three women in the 25-member (federal) cabinet. Such participation, however, will remain of mere symbolic value unless and until concerted efforts are made to engender equality. For a more meaningful political empowerment of women, political parties need to allot a substantial number of party tickets to women for contesting assemblies' elections instead of nominating them for reserved seats. The key to uplift of women being economic independence, the government must ensure more and more girls' enrollment in schools and in institutions of higher learning as well as technical training, opening up gainful employment opportunities for them. Only when they compete with and among men will women find their rightful place in society.