ISLAMABAD: Only one in four women in Pakistan is involved in the nation’s labor force despite a 50 percent increase in women’s participation rates over the past 15 years, a United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) survey found.
UN Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released the findings of a study into women’s representation and access to decision-making roles in the civil service on Friday. The survey was carried out under UNDP’s global Gender Equality in Public Administration (GEPA) initiative.
The GEPA study was one of 15 in-depth surveys conducted around the world with UNDP support and using methodology developed in collaboration with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The study found that social barriers still limit women’s representation and advancement in the civil service in Pakistan. With promotions based on years in service, gender stereotyping and social norms, women tend to be concentrated mainly in entry-level positions.
The UNDP’s Pakistan deputy director, Naoko Takasu, said: “It is commendable that women’s labor force participation in Pakistan has increased by 50 percent in the past 15 years. However, only one in four women participates in the labor force, meaning that there is a treasure trove of talent that is not utilized. As one of the largest employers in the country, the public sector is an important entry point for women.
“Enhancing women’s role in leadership and decision-making will have an immense impact on gender equality and on Pakistan’s development goals,” she said.
UN Women country representative Jamshed Kazi said: “Pakistan is committed to achieving a 30 percent representation of women in leadership positions. This study shows that to achieve this, action is needed to address the barriers they face.”
Public sector barriers hinder Pakistani women, survey shows
Public sector barriers hinder Pakistani women, survey shows
Pakistan, IFC review steps to unlock private investment, jobs
- Talks focus on public-private partnerships, mobilizing private capital
- Government flags IT, agriculture, mining, health care as priority sectors
KARACHI: Pakistan’s finance minister on Thursday reviewed ways to deepen cooperation with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to mobilize private investment, expand public-private partnerships and support job creation, the finance ministry said in a statement.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met an IFC delegation led by Khawaja Aftab Ahmed, the lender’s director for the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, as Islamabad seeks to translate recent macroeconomic stabilization into sustained private-sector growth.
Pakistan has made progress under an International Monetary Fund–backed reform program, easing immediate default risks and restoring a measure of macroeconomic stability. But officials say the next phase hinges on reviving investment, expanding exports and creating jobs, particularly as fiscal space remains tight and development spending constrained.
“Both sides agreed on the need to align investment and advisory support with Pakistan’s medium-term development priorities, with a clear focus on job creation, sustainability, and export-oriented growth,” the finance ministry said.
According to the statement, the IFC briefed the minister on its expanding engagement in Pakistan across investment and advisory operations, including local-currency financing, private-sector investments and sustainability-oriented initiatives. Particular emphasis was placed on the IFC’s role in strengthening public-private partnership frameworks, including projects aimed at improving urban services, infrastructure performance and resource efficiency.
Aurangzeb outlined the government’s strategy of creating enabling ecosystems rather than direct state intervention, identifying priority areas such as the digital and information technology economy, agriculture and agri-value chains, minerals and mining, health care and skills-based human capital exports.
Both sides also discussed closer coordination within the World Bank Group to deploy advisory, financing and risk-mitigation instruments more effectively, while stressing the importance of timely execution of approved transactions to maintain investor confidence.
Pakistan’s engagement with the International Finance Corporation is part of a broader long-term partnership aimed at catalyzing private sector-led growth. Since its early involvement in the country, IFC has deployed a range of equity and loan investments across sectors including renewable energy, infrastructure, manufacturing and agribusiness, with cumulative investments reaching an estimated $13 billion over several decades.
In recent years, IFC has boosted financing for strategic initiatives such as Pakistan’s first sustainable aviation fuel facility in Punjab, where it is providing up to $35 million in equity and debt capital to generate jobs, support exports and reduce carbon emissions.
