Pakistan’s female labour force participation (FLFP) remains among the lowest in the world, reflecting deep-rooted socio-economic, cultural, and institutional barriers that continue to restrict women’s economic agency. Despite comprising nearly half of the population, Pakistani women remain significantly underrepresented in the labour market, with consequences that extend far beyond individual livelihoods to the country’s broader economic development and human capital potential.
At the national level, Pakistan’s FLFP rate for women aged 15 to 64 stands at just 22.6%, far below the global average of 52.6% and even lower than the already modest South Asian average of 25.2%. In urban centres where economic opportunities are typically more diverse the situation remains bleak. In Islamabad, for instance, women’s labour force participation is only 22.5%, compared to 67% for men. Urban women often face additional constraints, including limited mobility, heightened social scrutiny, and fewer family support structures, all of which compound the challenges of entering and remaining in the workforce.
A combination of structural inequalities and entrenched cultural norms drives these disparities. Limited mobility, gendered expectations around domestic responsibilities, wage gaps, and restricted access to financial services and high-paying industries all contribute to women’s economic marginalization. The gender gap in microfinance access, digital inclusion, and youth NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rates further underscores the systemic nature of these inequalities. Social norms around physical gender segregation, common in Pakistani society, also shapes employer behaviour. Many employers hesitate to hire women for on-site or factory positions, citing cultural constraints or workplace segregation challenges. Nearly 70% of employers fill 90% or more of factory positions with men, and in Punjab’s garment manufacturing sector, women constitute only 12% of the workforce.
Education, often seen as a pathway to empowerment, has not translated into proportional economic gains for Pakistani women. Despite rising female enrolment in higher education, only 21.6% of degree-holding women are employed. This disconnect highlights that education alone cannot dismantle the structural and cultural barriers that shape labour market outcomes. Marital status further compounds these challenges: married women have significantly lower employment rates compared to married men, reflecting societal expectations that prioritize domestic responsibilities for women over professional aspirations.
The wage gap presents another stark dimension of gender inequality. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Pakistan ranks among the worst in South Asia for wage disparities. Women in Pakistan earn 25–34% less than men for work of equal value, wider than the global average and much larger than that of regional peers such as India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Crucially, much of this wage gap is unexplained by differences in education, experience, or job type, pointing to systemic discrimination and weak enforcement of labour laws. The gap widens at higher professional levels, revealing a persistent glass ceiling that restricts women’s upward mobility even in formal sectors such as healthcare, education, finance, and manufacturing.
A significant proportion of Pakistani women work in the informal economy as agricultural labour, domestic worker, and in home-based manufacturing, where wages are low, protections are minimal, and access to formal contracts or benefits is virtually nonexistent. This dual economy not only entrenches income inequality but also limits the country’s economic productivity by sidelining half of its potential workforce.
These economic disparities are mirrored in global gender indices. In the Global Gender Gap Index 2025, Pakistan ranks lowest 148th out of 148 economies, with an overall parity score of 56.7%, marking a decline from previous years. The country has closed only 2.3% of its gender gap since 2006, and recent trends show backsliding rather than progress. The Economic Participation and Opportunity subindex places Pakistan among the bottom five globally, with a score of 34.7%. Political empowerment indicators are equally troubling: women’s ministerial representation fell from 5.9% in 2024 to zero in 2025, placing Pakistan among countries with all-male cabinets. While parliamentary representation has seen slight improvement, overall political parity dropped from 12.2% to 11% in a single year.
Beyond economic and political exclusion, Pakistani women face significant social and security barriers. Gender-based violence, harassment, and character assassination are common experiences for women in public life, particularly those in leadership roles, media, or activism.
Female politicians and journalists frequently encounter threats, intimidation, and smear campaigns aimed at delegitimizing their presence and discouraging participation. These hostile environments not only deter women from entering public spaces but also reinforce societal narratives that question women’s leadership and autonomy.
Human capital development in Pakistan reflects these gendered disparities. The Pakistan Human Capital Review 2023 reports a Human Capital Index (HCI) score of 0.41, lagging behind regional counterparts such as Bangladesh and Nepal. This stagnation over three decades highlights systemic failures in education, healthcare, and economic inclusion.
Gender, geography, and wealth remain major determinants of human capital outcomes, with women, especially in rural areas bearing the brunt of these inequalities. Female literacy stands at 48.5%, compared to near-universal literacy in countries like the Maldives.
The Women’s Economic Empowerment Index (WEEI) further underscores the urgency of reform. With a female labour force participation rate of 21.4% and minimal progress in recent years, Pakistan’s economic future is constrained by the underutilization of its female population.
Pakistan’s gender gap in labour force participation and economic opportunity is the product of intertwined cultural norms, institutional weaknesses, and structural inequalities. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive reforms: strengthening labour law enforcement, expanding access to childcare and safe transportation, promoting digital and financial inclusion, and dismantling discriminatory norms that limit women’s mobility and autonomy. Without meaningful action, Pakistan risks perpetuating cycles of poverty and underdevelopment, while leaving half its population and half its potential on the margins of economic life.