Invisible women

What does it mean to be a woman in Pakistan in 2025? According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, it means living in the worst country in the world for gender parity. Out of 148 countries assessed, Pakistan has landed dead last – 148th. This is not only a disgraceful drop from last year’s already abysmal 145th position, but also a damning indictment of the state’s failure to protect and empower half its population. The report measures gender parity across four critical domains: economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment. Pakistan’s best score – 95.9 per cent – comes in health and survival. Yet this is small consolation when women continue to die during childbirth in rural clinics, suffer widespread domestic abuse and endure institutional apathy. The worst-performing subindex, as expected, is economic participation and opportunity at a dismal 34.7 per cent. This figure reflects more than just low labour force participation; it exposes a society that systematically discourages women from earning, owning or leading.

Despite an increase in women in parliament, the state of female representation in power remains bleak. Of the 31 ministers in the federal cabinet, only one is a woman. This lack of representation is not just symbolic; it is substantive. When women are excluded from policymaking, issues that disproportionately affect them – like underage marriage, workplace harassment and maternity leave – are ignored or delayed. It took years of persistent activism, mostly led by women, to begin to legislate child marriage reform. Even now, legal protections vary wildly across provinces. Critics may argue that Pakistan has made gains. Female university enrolment stands at 52 per cent, which is no small feat. But a woman’s journey does not end with education. It begins there. What awaits her outside the university gates is a hostile job market, patriarchal social expectations and – far too often – threats to her safety. Public spaces remain unsafe, basic infrastructure fails women daily and families continue to exercise control over women’s freedom under the guise of honour. The political sphere is just as punishing. Women who dare enter it face an onslaught of character assassination, harassment and even threats to their lives. Worse is the silence of political parties and state institutions in the face of this abuse.

The surprise expressed by some observers at Pakistan’s fall in the rankings betrays a misunderstanding of progress. True empowerment is not just about access but safety, equity and dignity. A university degree means little if a woman cannot work without fear. A vote means little if her voice is drowned in misogyny. How much longer will we tolerate a status quo that sees women’s issues as a nuisance? If Pakistan is to rise in global rankings, it must start by creating a safer, more inclusive and more equitable environment for its women.