Pakistani women will celebrate the National Working Women’s Day today (Thursday). The day was declared on 22nd December 2010 in recognition of the struggle of working women to secure a dignified and respectful working environment. It is also celebrated to acknowledge the economic contributions made by women to the country.
The number of women joining the workforce has increased in the last few years. The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) collaborated with the Pakistan government and other civil society organisations to facilitate the women who have entered the mainstream society and are economically effective. Women work as human resource managers, police officers, directors, business executives, journalists, lawyers, and pilots in the public and private sectors. Pakistan is the only Islamic country to give women top notch government posts. The government showed its commitment to the cause of women by promulgating the ‘Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill 2009’. It was a landmark move by the present government to help Pakistani women work without fear of being harassed or discriminated. The National Implementation Watch Committee formed by the prime minister in collaboration with the NCSW, ensures compliance with the law. Strict monitoring by the NCSW watch committee resulted in the adoption of a code of conduct and formation of a committee by many public and private sector organisations across the country. Despite an improvement in the socio-economic status of women, a lot still needs to be done. Women’s participation in the formal work-force is still low. 80 to 85 percent women work in the informal sector as labourers and agriculture workers. These women workers are paid only half of what their male counterparts earn.
Their economic interests need to be secured by acknowledging the rights and contributions of home-based workers and introducing policies and laws for them. Working women face challenges like unequal wages, glass-ceiling effect, sexual harassment and other work-related concerns that need to be addressed. Pakistan endorsed the C-111 (Discrimination Convention, 1958) in 1961 and C-100 (Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951) in 2001. The country now has a legal obligation to comply with international laws and is monitored by the International Labour Organisation’s Committee on Application of Standards.
