Gender Equality for Decent Employment

Working Women Issues, Challenges and Good Practices

Press Room

Think about it….

How can we achieve gender equality in the world of work? How can we ensure that women and men obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity? How can we convince people that the needs and expectations of everyone - women, men, girls and boys - must be addressed in the policies that govern the workplace?

Over the past few decades many more women have been able to enter the work force, both globally and in Pakistan. Many women and men have successfully challenged the stereotypes regarding what constitutes ‘women’s work’ and ‘men’s work’. However, for the vast majority, gender equality in the workplace is still a distant hope.

For many women in Pakistan, there are constraints on their participation in working outside the home.Unpaid chores in and for the household take up the majority of their working hours. When women do work outside the home, they earn, on average, far less than men and are still responsible for the majority of the household chores. Women are concentrated in low-skilled, low paid jobs and they are more likely to accept employment that is vulnerable, exploitative and often hazardous. Progress must be made to improve the conditions under which women work, to eliminate discriminatory practices, to recognize their unpaid work, provide child care support and put in place laws that protect their rights.

Making sure women and men have equal opportunities to earn and manage their money helps women build self-esteem and influence in their homes and in society – as well as being their right. Women who have access to meaningful, income-producing work are more likely to contribute to their families’ increased standards of living, leading the whole family out of poverty and towards a brighter, more equal future.