Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. Even more disturbing aspect of this already dire situation is the increasing gender disparity in education. Recent statistics published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation have shown a decline in the overall female literacy ratio at 47 percent, as opposed to the male literacy ratio of 70 percent. It is to the country’s misfortune that a small proportion of literate females that manages to overcome all obstacles to attain their educational goals still struggle with certain institutional failures. Out of the 53 public universities across the country, 42 offer boarding services to their students. The situation is even worse for female scholars, who have been accommodated in only 29 public universities in the last four years. Such dismal state of affairs is highly counterproductive to the success of any initiative aimed at increasing the national literacy rate. Pakistani women are standing at par if not outshining their male counterparts in every field. The international community has on numerous occasions, applauded the brilliance and dedication of our women despite the unfavourable circumstances in which they exist. It is heartening to see government’s commitment towards mitigating the effects of gender disparity that is a hallmark of a patriarchal society like that of Pakistan. Efforts are being made on multiple levels to optimise the output of potential and performance of female citizens to help advance the country in both economic as well as societal domains. One of the major reasons for discontinuation of education of females is the unavailability of good educational institutions in smaller cities and towns. What further intensifies this predicament is the remote location of a majority of these institutions, which makes it impossible for students to seek any off-campus housing; most of these institutions are without the facility of a hostel. Whether a large majority of female professionals abandon their career post marriage because of societal pressures that perpetuate the preference for a housewife over a career woman or the absence of any institutional perks catering to their new lifestyles is a debate that has no simple answers. The opposition to a short-lived female career has become a reality, which is sign of things changing for the better for those females who wish to balance their personal and professional lives. Federal government must direct its attention towards bridging gaps in literacy rates so that the overall rate attains the required level of the Millennium Development Goals. Investing in female education is particularly important, as it is a woman in the role of a mother that builds the foundation of a healthy family, acts as glue in a community and empowers the structure of a society. As Brigham Young, the American educationist, puts it very succinctly, “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” *