Role of Women in Pakistan
Women have played an increasingly important role in Pakistan’s development over the past few decades. They are now actively engaged in all aspects of life, including politics, education, health care and business. Despite this progress, however, gender inequality remains a problem in many parts of the country due to cultural beliefs that favor men over women.
Still, there has been some improvement with more girls attending school and more female involvement in public life than ever before. This is likely to continue as Pakistan continues its journey towards achieving gender equality and empowering its female population.
Girls’ Education in Pakistan
Pakistan has made great strides in improving girls’ access to education over the past decade, but there is still much work to be done. Despite significant improvement in national gross enrollment rate for primary school-aged girls (from 40% in 2002 to 81% by 2019), many of these girls remain out of school due to poverty, social norms, and insecurity. Girls’ access to secondary education is also significantly lower than boys: only 36 percent of Pakistani women aged 15–24 have completed secondary or higher level schooling compared with 53 percent of men.
To further promote gender equality in education and ensure that all children have access to quality learning opportunities, Pakistan must continue its efforts towards increasing investment and resources dedicated towards girls’ education.
