In most cases, women are not aware of workplace discrimination and harassment laws and if they do, they fail to take advantage of them. In an investigation, Rehman (2017) found that 51 per cent of respondents to an online survey would not be comfortable telling their boss or colleagues that they were pregnant due to fear of a negative impact on career progression. This is compounded for small businesses, especially roadside food businesses or wholesale markets or bazaars, where concepts of consent and harassment are not understood at all.
In the public sector, workplaces are not constructed to accommodate the special needs of women, such as childcare facilities, separate toilet facilities etc. Also, the voice of women is ignored at the time of policy formulation. As a result, organisations are mostly gender and opportunity-biased in assigning duties, work and postings and women are ignored or paid fewer rewards and awards. Following measures will improve female participation in the labour market:
Small loans for women are one of the policy options, to address female social isolation and family interplay so that they can start a business from home. For this purpose, a microfinance credit scheme on the lines of Bangladesh (Muhammad Yunus model) is required to be initiated to make women empowered economically.
BISP/Ehsaas program needs to be linked to the development of a skillset and economic contribution. A certain percentage can be added by the BISP/Ehsaas as a conditional intervention to incentivize females to join the workforce.
Organisations are mostly gender and opportunity-biased in assigning duties, work and postings
Gender as a public policy tool should be built in the policy framework through legislation as a cross-cutting theme in which female labour participation is seen as an economic intervention and should be catered to in all decision making.
Covid-19 crisis has prompted online businesses. Hence, the promotion of online commerce can bring new economic opportunities for women without excessive jolts to the social structure in terms of children upbringing and elderly care.
Media (social, electronic, print) can be used to refrain from stereotyping the female labour force as financially, emotionally and physically vulnerable and easy prey to exploitation. PEMRA, in this regard, has to play a key role. A continuous massive awareness campaign is required to change anti-women social norms.
Social media may be used for women participation in economic activities. The example of entrepreneurship of the first businesswoman, Hazrat Khadija (RA) and permission for doing business granted by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) may be highlighted. The intellectual, as well as the educational contribution of Hazrat Aisha (RA), may also be painted through this medium which will promote educational facilities for girls.
Incentives, in terms of government advertisement, may be provided to TV channels for airing programs on women participation in economic activities as well as the removal of social, cultural and institutional barriers.
Effective implementation of laws on sexual harassment at the workplace and violence against women will enhance female labour force participation
A 10 per cent quota fixed for women in jobs needs to be implemented holistically.
Anti-early-age marriage laws require implementation in true letter and spirit. Government should make education compulsory up to intermediate level for women. A policy may be formulated for establishing daycare centres for children and old family members of working women within government offices and private organizations.
Promote and incentivize women for tertiary education. The study has proved that tertiary education enhances women’s sense of empowerment by making them more aware of their rights and job opportunities.
Engage champions in public life, both male and female to provide brand leadership through the corporate sector through products used in rural and urban lives. Such engagement will create awareness about women empowerment.
Reserved seats for women at the local government level on the pattern of federal and provincial levels must be allocated to increase the level of women empowerment.
The discourse on improvement in female labour force participation in public and private sectors will unvaryingly arrive at the apparent conclusion that it is characterized by the “creation of an enabling environment.” Male dominance is indeed predominant in Pakistani society but things are not as worse as portrayed by a segment of society. This country has a history where women reached the highest office of the government. Miss Fatima Jinnah, Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, Ms Benazir Bhutto, Justice (R) Nasira Iqbal and Justice Ayesha Malik, Miss Fizza Farhan, Ms Jahan Ara, are a few names this society is proud of and applauding. However, it is imperative to adopt such measures to provide more space for women in the decision-making process. As the men majorly occupy policy-making and decision-taking space, it is their responsibility to improve female labour force participation in Pakistan in a safe and dignified manner. Economic empowerment is a major equalizer in the equitable existence of men and women. Participation of women in the economic workforce and its resultant imminent effect on dilution of the male control of decision-making space seems a major obstacle that needs to be addressed at priority so that the dream of economic growth and development can be fulfilled.
Thus, investment in human capital, gender-sensitive policies and transforming social norms can change the status of women’s economic participation both in public and private sectors and put the country in the direction of sustainable economic growth and prosperity to meet the emerging challenges of the 21st century.
(Concluded).
Ghania Usman was formerly associated with Army Public School (Bahawalpur) and can be reached at ghaniausman93@gmail.com.
Saud Bin Ahsen is a freelance columnist and can be reached at saudzafar5@gmail.com.
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