Problems of Working Women in Pakistan

Introduction Scenario in pakistan Constitution of pakistan Comparison with other countries World bank report. Rights for Working Women Women Working in Agriculture Pregnancy Based Discrimination Sexual Harrassment At Work Women take action! Global Labour Market: Percentage of Female Labour Characteristics of Women Entrepreneurs Challenges Faced by Women Pakistan Working Women Make Their Marks European Professional Womens Network Steps taken by government Suggestions Critical analysis Conclusion

The working environment for women in Pakistan reflects the complex interplay of many factors, which fall into two basic categories. The first is made up of social, cultural, traditional and religious elements. This aspect of the environment has taken shape over many centuries; it is anchored in the patriarchal system and clearly manifested in the lower status of women. The gender bias of this type of system is rigid and deep-rooted as it draws legitimacy from the perpetuation of a traditional mind-set, established rituals and a firm belief system. The second group of factors derives from the first group, taking the form of constitutional structures, policy documents, regulatory arrangements and institutional mechanisms. This category is contemporary rather than traditional, so it is cosmetically impartial. The traditional systems pose difficulties for women in general and entrepreneurs in particular in two ways. First, they are inherently discriminatory; and second, they inhibit the equity-based composition of modern institutions and their fair working, as modern institutions are derived from traditional ones. The social and cultural picture with slight variations according to geographical region and social class perpetuates a traditional patriarchal structure with compartmentalized gender roles. The stereotyped functions of reproduction and production assigned to women and men determine the overall ambiance of Pakistani society and also establish the status of both sexes. The reproductive role limits women to the home, where they bear children and raise the family, playing only an auxiliary part in production activity. The tradition of male honor associated with the chastity of their female relations restricts womens mobility, limits social interaction and imposes a check on their economic activity. The social, cultural and traditional taboos on women allow men to carve legitimacy for themselves in public affairs, as well as in the sphere of production and related economic activity. The modern institutional environment has a cosmetic tinge of equality and sometimes even discriminates positively in favour of women, but the underlying power of tradition and the vested interests of the patriarchal system work to maintain the status quo. The legal framework, the policy environment and the regulatory structures thus embed or are interpreted to discriminate against the economic activity of women. Article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan (1973), for example, guarantees equality of rights to all citizens irrespective of sex, race and class and also empowers the government to take action to protect and promote womens rights. But contemporary legislation covertly discriminates against womens economic activity as producers and providers of services. The policy and regulatory environments are cosmetically better as they sometimes positively discriminate in favour of women. The most recent example is the draft Labour Policy of the Government of Pakistan that pays lip service to female labour force issues without announcing any tangible steps to redress the problems of women workers. The regulatory environment does not generally discriminate against women, but even well-intentioned provisions can sometimes result in negative discrimination. An example would be the highly skewed labour structure of the apparel industry in Pakistan. Employment figures show that about 90% of workers in this sector are male. This is

exactly opposite to the situation in other South Asian countries where 90% of workers in the apparel industry are women. The difference is explained by a labour regulation in Pakistan that restricts the employment of women after 7 p.m. Hence the long hours often required in this industry provide a disincentive to employ women. The problem is further compounded by the complex interplay of traditional and contemporary factors. The male head of a Pakistani family would not allow his female relations to work in a factory after sunset. The domestic responsibilities of women workers make it impossible for them to work long hours outside the home. Employers do not like to hire women who might ask for maternity leave/benefits. And last but not least, women trainees would not be welcome at all the production places where Ustad-Shagird is the predominant mode of apprenticeship. The World Bank Country Gender Profile of Pakistan deplores the fact that the status of women in Pakistan is among the lowest in the world. UNDP (1996) describes the strong inside/outside dichotomy in Pakistan, where women are restricted to the inside space of home and household, embodied in the tradition of veiling. This restricts women's access to education, employment, training opportunities and social services. The logical outcome of a gender-biased environment is the low status and weak bargaining position of women. The sex-disaggregated comparison of national statistics and comparative regional benchmarking indicate the disadvantaged position of women who try to start or run a business in Pakistan. Globalization has led to the rise of export processing zones (EPZs) in poor countries throughout the world. These industries are heavily dependent on cheap unskilled female labor, and women often comprise between 70-90 percent of the total labor force in EPZs throughout Asia, Latin American and Sub Saharan Africa. While increased access to employment has provided new economic and social opportunities for poor women, the jobs they occupy remain unregulated and unstable. Women workers are systematically denied their rights to regular pay and regular working hours; equal pay for equal work; permanent contracts; safe and non-hazardous work environments; and freedom of association. Sexual harassment in the workplace, and workplace-related sexual violence, is a particularly egregious and widespread form of discrimination against women. Forced sexual relations and pregnancy tests, which become a pre-condition for employment, significantly reduce a woman's ability to demand a living wage and break out of poverty. Working mothers face everyday barriers as they try to support their families. Organizing against abuse is also particularly difficult for women, because of the highly gendered nature of subcontracting and other forms of flexible work. Read more about female temporary workers in global agro-export industries.

The agro ondustrial sector has become increasingly occupied by temporary workers worldwide, hired under short-term contracts (if any contract) by employment agencies or subcontracted recruiters. Women are most vulnerable to the labor rights violations accompanying contractor labour. Women are often newer to the workforce then men or have less education, so they are stuck in the lowest rung of the employment latter where jobs are unstable and have fewer protections. The double burden of domestic work on women is one of the reasons for womens over-representation in precarious employment. Women have been uniquely affected by the rise in unstable forms of employment, particularly since the global economic crisis. Women workers in many agro-export industries are often victims of gender based discrimination. It has become all too common for employers to require mandatory pregnancy testing and then to discriminate and fire workers according to the results. The story of Peruvian asparagus worker, who was fired after becoming pregnant. Women whose pregnancies arent discovered by their employers are often faced with the impossible dilemma of being fired for revealing their pregnancy (maternity leave is virtually non-existent in the industry), or risk the safety of their fetus in order to put food on the table. Most of these cases of rights violations go unpunished because the high level of workplace intimidation, the prohibitive cost of legal fees, and the short statutes of limitations prevent women from being able to bring formal charges against their employers. Women are consistently victims of sexual harassment at work. revealing that 55% of female Ecuadorian cut-flower workers faced sexual harassment on the job. Honduran women, just like working women around the world, also face discrimination in the workplace. They receive lower wages, are rarely considered for promotions, and are generally barred from higher paying positions. Women workers in the Honduran melon industry have reported facing sexual harassment in the workplace from both coworkers and bosses. Women are also not granted pregnancy leave, meaning that they must chose to either give up their income or continue to work while pregnant. Women workers who have organized have been able to avoid being replaced by subcontracted workers. Amanda Camacho, a Colombian cut-flower worker recently led a successful union organizing effort at her company, Paraguay Farms. The union is nearly 90% women and Amanda is one of the many single mothers. Workers decided to organize when they saw their senior co-workers being replaced by workers from temporary agencies or labor cooperatives, a common union busting mechanism in Colombia. A survey conducted in 2008 found that 35% of cut-flower workers in the main cut-flower growing region of Colombia had been subcontracted out through employment agencies or work cooperatives. Because Amanda and her co-workers successfully avoided being replaced, they have been able to negotiate for a modest raise, benefits and job stability. Single mothers particularly benefit from unions as they struggle to raise a family with one income.

In Europe, the activity rate of women in the labour market has increased in the last two decades. In Denmark it is 46.9%. In the Netherlands it increased from 24.2% in 1975 to 40.6% in 1993. In the USA and Canada it grew from 37% and 32% respectively in 1970 to 45% in 1990. In Pakistan it merely increased from 6.6% in 1968/69 to 13.6% in 1996/97.

Women entrepreneurs in the developing world make a large and often unrecognized contribution to their countries' economic development. They employ other people, provide valuable services, and play a vital role in the development of emerging market economies worldwide. In the developing economies WEs are a diverse group ranging from those who manage large conglomerates to those who operate roadside restaurants. Barriers, some real, some perceived and some self-imposed, confront women entrepreneurs. In the area of international business obstacles include limited international business experience, inadequate business education and lack of access to international networks. Societal, cultural and religious attitudes also impede women in business. Other challenges faced by all enterprises and women in particular are; financing, globalization of social and economic environments, marketing, and management. Transition economies can pose difficult hurdles such as banking, legal aspects, political contacts, customs tariffs, bureaucracy that daily invents new mechanisms for the simplest procedures, and extortion. Characteristics reflected in research of women entrepreneurs show a woman who is highly motivated, initiates action and activity without direction, has a high internal locus of control, and propensity toward achievement. Women's decision processes indicate a highly personal, subjective process. Studies reveal that there are multiple general individual characteristics of women business owners that promote their creativity and generate new ideas and ways of doing things. In Pakistan, as in many other developing countries, women are handicapped in society. Therefore they face many challenges, as they do not enjoy the same opportunities as men. The segregation of the sexes starts early and becomes a way of life. They are not only deprived of financial resources but also lack access to basic needs such as education, health, clean drinking water and proper sanitation. Limited access to the essentials of life undermines their capabilities, limits their ability to secure gainful employment, and results in income, poverty and social exclusion. Their ambitions and aspirations are suppressed. The crude activity rate (% of labor force in total population) for women in rural areas is 10.7% and 6.3% in urban areas) and the refined activity rate (% of labor force in population of persons having 10 years of age and above) is for women in rural areas is 16% and 8.8% in urban areas. Women businesses in Pakistan are typically characterized thus:

Most women-headed businesses operate from home, and financial matters are taken care of by male family members. Women entrepreneurs are seen in subordinate roles; with low levels of education and technical skills; low exposure to business; lacking role models; lacking peer support and business associations; low incomes and poor investment capacity. Gradually things are improving for a woman, which has been caused by their tremendous determination and courage. They are entering in the field of education, health, engineering, IT and active participation is seen in the sports and politics arena. About 60% of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan have opted for traditional business such as parlors, bakeries, boutiques, but the largest number is employed in the garments and handicrafts sector. In general, urban women are better placed in terms of accessing information than those operating in the rural areas. However, improvements need to be realized in the rural areas where women still lag behind due to the lack of awareness to engage themselves in other activities. In rural areas even where top positions are filled by women entrepreneurs most of the opportunities are diverted towards enhancing the skills of men. Women are essentially performing house-hold chores and helping their family in the fields. This hampers their growth, as there is no time due to domestic chores taking precedence over anything else. Many women are learning skills such as embroidery, sewing, knitting for income generation, but lack conducive environment to embark on such a journey of developing their career. This is because of the restrictions placed on them by the society which does not allow them to receive formal training and to enter the market place. They not only lack the financial resources but also lack awareness for facilities available to develop their skills. However, economic necessity is forcing more and more women to engage in some sort of employment, without relieving them of their traditional roles. There is a potential envisaged to develop the handicrafts sector and create income generation measures for these women as they possess the talents and aptitude for entrepreneurial development. Some of the basic problems a highlighted by various research studies undertaken by women entrepreneurs are:

Lack of information Lack of Micro Financing Schemes Lack of Skill Development Lack of Entrepreneurship/Business Skills Lack of Marketing Facilities Lack of Product Designs Lack of Networking and Trust Building Expensive Raw Material Low Quality Control

Non-Conducive Working Environment

Nurturing an individual's, natural spirit of entrepreneurship is a powerful key to economic development. Therefore realizing the vast potential that women entrepreneurs posses and translating this potential into profits is imperative. Supporting businesses with strong associations can strengthen the structural adjustment reforms that are part of the current international wave of decentralization, which is grounded in the belief that promoting private businesses is key to growth. There is great potential in the Women Entrepreneurship sector. Their development can only lead to greater economic growth. Pakistan has often hit the headlines for gross gender violations like honour killings and gang rapes. But that is not the entire picture. NDTV met some women who are breaking the glass ceiling, pushing boundaries in the corporate sector in Pakistan. Musharraf Hai has been heading the multinational, Unilever Pakistan for more than four years now. Bold, forthright, no nonsense, she says she was never aware of a glass ceiling. More than a third of the marketing departments are women and more revolutionary is the fact that more than 70 per cent of its factory floor workers are women. Sultana Siddiqui in contrast is soft spoken and cautious in her approach, knowing she's operating in a predominantly conservative society. She has been working in the television industry for 32 years, starting at a time when very few women were seen in the media. European Professional Womens Network is a vibrant growing pan-European federation of more than 17 womens network. Our common objective is to provide women with the tools, networks and support they need to assume leadership. We aim to share knowledge across Europe, and are participating in several Europe-wide initiatives. We combine a sophisticated online networking platform, linking several thousand business women across Europe, with regular, offline events in many cities across Europe. Government has passed many bills regarding the safety of working and non working women in pakistan. These bills include women protection bill, sexual harrasment bill, acid attack bill etc. The government also assure saftey for women in public and private sector. The situation in pakistan is not still good but the present government took many steps in this regard which shows in future women would be more safe in home and at work place. Government should take notice that there should be necessary facilities for the working women in garment factories. There is need for protective laws that would limit womens hours of work and monitor their working conditions. Through mass media, seminars, positive change in the attitude of the society members towards working women may be expected. In the case of illness all expenditures must be paid by the factory owner. In the case of death of any worker, the factory owner must financially support her family. Bad behavior of supervisor should be noticed by the owner of the factory. There should be lady supervisor to supervise the female workers; in this case, females will share their problem with lady supervisor easily. There should be a lady doctor in factory to take care medical problems of females workers. There is need of a staff

room where women workers can take rest during the period of rest. Those women who could not work outside the home easily, govt. should provide them such opportunities at their own door to increase their family income. Salaries of the female workers must be increased. Canteen and medical facility must be existed in the factory. Pension and gratuity should be available to the female workers. Supervisor of the unit in the factory must impose the same rules and regulation on workers. Open meeting should be arranged in which female workers must have freely discussion in this meeting. Overtime should not be necessary. Two hundred working women were interviewed. The mean age was 29.05 years. A majority was married (53.5%) with more than grade XII education (67%). Sixty three (31.5%) women were working due to need and eighty three (41.5%) were finding it difficult to carry out home responsibilities because of it. Extra understanding and support was received from family by 155 (77.5%) and 115 (57.5%) women respectively. One hundred twenty three (61.5%) women felt they did not have enough time for themselves. The status of working women is better than non-working women according to 123 (61.5%) respondents. Financial benefits outweigh other disadvantages according to 105 (52.5%) respondents. Marriage prospects of working women and their children are better than non-working women and their children according to eighty one (40.5%) and eighty (40%) respondents respectively. Confidence in working women is higher than non-working women according to 142 (71%) respondents. Eighty one (40.5%) respondents feel that working womens financial independence has negative impact on theirs husbands self esteem. Based on study findings, it can be concluded that economic motives and economic problems of families were the forces driving for the working women to involve in the economic activities. It was also concluded that majority of the working women had low salary, had bad conditions of their families, economic problems and other problems. Mostly the working women belonged to the poor families. Although the majority of the major obstacle in their way to serve is the unfavorable attitude of relatives and society members, but at the same time there seems certain positive changes in the attitude of the friends, colleagues and family members. Working women viewed that perception of people towards working women were changing but with low speed. Most the factory workers were not conscious of their rights to articulate demands in exchange for their great contributions to industry, so they are not given fair treatment and proper attention to their problems by the administration. From the above findings it was also clear that in the private sector unmarried workers were preferred. At the same time it was concluded that due to lack of education, youngster had less awareness about their problems. In two factories, there was not even facility of rest room or canteen where they could take rest during break. In factories, working women were treated badly by the male colleagues. Some working women did not say anything about facility due to lack of education and awareness, and they reported satisfied with their job. Those who were not satisfied

with their work told that their economic problems forced them to work in that situation.