Daily Times

The World Economic Forum (WEF), a Geneva-based organization, has recently released its annual report entitled Global Gender Gap Index 2018. According to this report, Pakistan is the second worst performing country on the gender parity front acquiring an embarrassingly low 148th position out of 149 countries. That means Pakistan is the second last country in the world where, among other factors, women hold managerial positions reflecting torrid circumstances on the gender front. The WEC measured disparities in 149 countries against four areas: health, education, economic opportunity and political empowerment. Pakistan was ranked as the lowest country in South Asia closing 55 per cent of its gender gap vis-à-vis Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the top ranking countries in the region, with closing gender gaps of about 72 per cent and 68 per cent respectively. Among the four areas measured by the WEC, education and health primarily concern human capital development, whereas ‘economic opportunity’ and ‘political empowerment’ are apparently the indicators of economic outcome. In this perspective, Pakistan really needs to right align the economic dynamics of gender equality with a view to bolstering long run sustainable economic growth.

This scenario merits an investigation into the factors that inhibit gender parity alongside understanding the link between gender relations and economic growth in Pakistan. Women empowerment in Pakistan, like many other developing countries, is obviously not satisfactory. One of the main reasons for this weakness is the lack of understanding about long run economic growth determinants. In this regard, human capital development is one of the crucial factors responsible for augmenting economic growth. The Lucas model suggests that growth is largely a function of physical capital and human capital. However, a gender based disaggregation has not been emphasized in this model. This suggests that both males and females should constitute the human capital of an economy. The 2001, 2002, and 2005 studies by Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson cobbled with the 1748 study by Montesquieu suggest culture, geography and institutions as the three main long run determinants of economic growth. Among these factors, ‘culture’ carries contextual and local importance while seeking enhanced economic growth in Pakistan. The evolution of culture generally takes place on the basis of various social, religious and economic factors.

Pakistan is the second, worst performing country on the gender parity front acquiring an embarrassingly low 148th position out of 149 countries. This means that Pakistan is the second last country in the world where, among other factors, women hold managerial positions reflecting torrid circumstances on the gender front

In this perspective, it is pivotal to investigate the relationship among gender parity, policy approach, jobs creation and economic growth in Pakistan. Furthermore, it is also crucial to understand the relevance of gender parity with economic growth and the factors that can enhance the level of economic prosperity by ensuring gender equality. ‘Gender parity’ is a broad term revolving around several social, economic, regional, political, cultural, religious, and ethnic dimensions. However, as identified by the WEF report, the aforementioned four factors such as education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment remain central. A 2009 report of the Swedish Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality relies on three factors defining gender parity. The first aspect is ‘equal right to education’ that is a necessary condition for labor market equality. This suggests that any kind of gender discrimination towards access to education hampers optimal development of human capital. The second is ‘equal right to work’ marking the differences in the labor force participation levels between men and women. The third dimension is ‘women’s pay’ that is generally less than the men. These three aspects are quite close to the factors identified by the WEF report. Pakistan can improve these factors by focusing on various social, religious and economic factors hampering women’s active participation in the economy.

Gender based discriminations in Pakistan are alarmingly high. In this perspective, ‘culture’ as a long run determinant of economic growth has the main role to play. The predominant socioeconomic culture in Pakistan does not appear to support women’s development and progress as part of human capital. The women agog to seeking education and progress are generally discouraged. There are three visible cultural trends that increasingly treat women as ‘objects’ rather than humans. Firstly, the social values and norms have been based on such notions that treat women as weaker and naturally dependent on men. A big chunk of population in Pakistan does not encourage girls’ education at the elementary level thus depriving the country of the basic human capital development. The government appears to be too blithe in this regard. The men-led social coalition is not only against women’s education but also uses naked power to oppose their quest for seeking knowledge. Another social dimension is women’s inability to take independent decisions in choosing their life partners owing tomultiple cultural cacophonies. If a woman choses her life partner at her own, it is sometimes treated as a big disgrace to the family. There have been several instances in which the newlywed couple was brutally murdered reflecting how strong is the masculine ingrates’ social and cultural coalitions against women. Several education disciplines and professions are de facto ‘men only’. This includes, but not limited to, heavy engineering disciplines, natural and social sciences disciplines involving long field works, several research projects requiring women to spend more time in laboratories or research places at odd hours, and the disciplines requiring women to spend more time out of their homes. Furthermore, several women are unable to attend college and university level education because they are not allowed to stay in hostels by their families. Lack of transport facilities to women also inhibits their economic and social growth and well-being. All these social factors naturally retard women’s mental and intellectual growth as part of country’s precious human capital that can play a vital role in boosting economic growth. The cultures and social ethos of the countries witnessing higher levels of economic growth exhibit greater levels of social tolerance. Even the gay and lesbian marriages are acceptable in several countries reflecting strong social acceptability and tolerance.

The writer is Additional Commissioner, FBR, holding PhD in Economic Planning from Massey University, New Zealand. The views expressed are his own. He can be reached at babarchohan21@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, January 1^st 2019