ISLAMABAD: Pakistani women in wage employment earn significantly less than men \u2014by approximately 25 to 30 percent, depending on the wage metric. The disparity is especially stark in the informal economy, where the gap widens to 40 percent due to limited enforcement of labour laws and lack of protections.<\/p>\n
This was revealed at the launch of Pakistan\u2019s Gender Pay Gap Report.<\/p>\n
Stakeholders on this occasion unanimously agreed on short, medium, and long-term objectives and jointly developed a National Action Plan to address the gender pay gap. Participants emphasised that closing these disparities can increase women\u2019s labour force participation and drive inclusive economic growth<\/a>.<\/p>\n The national workshop \u2014 organised by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD)<\/a> in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO)<\/a> \u2014 brought together policymakers, employers, workers\u2019 representatives, and technical experts to identify practical policy and legal reforms to promote equal pay and wage equity.<\/p>\n It identifies key drivers of this gap, including occupational segregation, informal work, and discriminatory practices. Crucially, much of the gap remains unexplained by observable factors such as education, skills, or occupation\u2014pointing to deep-rooted, systemic inequality. While Pakistan has made some progress, narrowing the gap from 33 per cent in 2018, it continues to lag behind regional peers.<\/p>\n Alongside a detailed legal and policy review, the report offers actionable recommendations for aligning Pakistan\u2019s labour legislation with ILO standards, particularly the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No 100). The findings aim to support national stakeholders\u2014government, employers, and workers\u2014in crafting coordinated strategies to reduce the gender pay gap and advance<\/a> social justice in the world of work.<\/p>\n The event convened policymakers, employers, workers\u2019 organizations, members of minimum wage boards, labour inspectors, the national statistics institution, and academia to explore structural barriers that confine women to low-paying roles and limit their career progression.<\/p>\n In his keynote address, Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, federal secretary MOPHRD, stated Pakistan is committed to ensuring equal pay for work of equal value. This report and action plan mark a critical step towards unpacking the barriers that hold women back in the economy. This will help Pakistan move progressively against its obligations as part of the ratified ILO Convention 100 on Equal Remuneration (1951) and Convention 111 on Discrimination (1958).<\/p>\n Geir Tonstol, ILO Country Director for Pakistan, said, \u201cThis workshop marks a pivotal step forward\u2014from diagnosing the causes of the gender pay gap to developing a national action plan grounded in practical, scalable solutions. We now have the evidence, the commitment, and the partnerships to move from promise to practice. The ILO stands ready to support Pakistan in advancing fair and transparent wage-setting systems, formalising informal work, and creating real opportunities for women across all sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n Xavier Estupinan, wage specialist at ILO Decent Work Team, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said, \u201cThe report highlights the \u2018sticky floor\u2019 effect\u2014where women are stuck in low-paid, low-mobility jobs, particularly in the informal economy. Addressing this requires adequate wage-setting mechanisms and meaningful social dialogue. Supporting women\u2019s transition to formal work is essential if we are to reduce wage gaps and ensure fairer, more inclusive labour markets.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" ISLAMABAD: Pakistani women in wage employment earn significantly less than men —by approximately 25 to 30 percent, depending on the wage metric. The disparity is especially stark in the informal economy, where the gap widens to 40 percent due to limited enforcement of labour laws and lack of protections. This was revealed at the launch […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post","format-standard"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t