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News: CSF identifies women's contribution to economic growth Nazia Hameed The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in the thoughts of the society about women's equality and liberation. Many from the younger generation feel that all the battles have been fought for women. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equal to that of their male counterparts. They are still not present in equal number in business or politics. Pakistan has, however, been one of the countries as it had a woman prime minister and increased participation of women on the political platforms. The International Women's Day also reminds us that Pakistan has still a lot to do so school girls are welcomed in universities. Women can work and have a family and provide women with real choices. The tone and nature of International Women's Day has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a collaborated work force aiming at a more optimistic future. The International Women's Day is marked across the world where women in all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their day. On this occasion, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace, development and economic empowerment. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2007, published each year by the World Economic Forum, the social and economic empowerment of Pakistani women is still very low and their struggle is still on. Pakistan is ranked at 126 among 128 countries in 2007 in the global gender gap report (GGG). This report provides a comprehensible framework for assessing and comparing global gender gaps and by revealing those countries that, regardless of the overall level of resources available, are role models in dividing these resources equitably between women and men. The Global Gender Gap Report 2007 also identifies a gap in the overall participation of women to be integrated into the workforce in Pakistan though the enrolment ratio between females and males at the primary education level is 59 per cent (females) and 77 per cent (males). Only 2 per cent of the females reach the position of senior officials, legislators and managers as compared to 98 per cent of males. The Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF), a joint initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Ministry of Finance, government of Pakistan, is the partner institution of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Pakistan and is working with the WEF to assist the government of Pakistan as a catalyst for greater awareness as well as greater exchange between policy makers. Although Pakistan is doing well on the political empowerment of women where it stands at 43 among 128 countries, the indicators on economic participation and opportunity for women are still weak as Pakistan stands at 126. Also on the Labour Force Participation of Women, Pakistan ranked at 121 among 128 countries. On the social indicators, Pakistan ranks at 123 on the education attainment pillar and 121 at the health and survival pillar among the 128 countries. Arthur Bayhan, chief executive officer of CSF, reinforces the importance of the available data on gender. He says Pakistan needs to update and timely submit the data on the issues relevant to the economic empowerment of gender to the international sources. |
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