ISLAMABAD In a sobering disclosure of gender inequality in Pakistan’s federal government, a special committee led by Dr. Nafisa Shah has brought attention to the pitifully low number of women in various ministries and governmental bodies.
Data given at a Gender Mainstreaming Committee meeting indicates that women’s representation is still below the desired benchmark of 33%.
Alarming statistics are revealed by the statistical breakdown: women make up only 8.08% of all employees in the federal secretariat; only 5.30% of constitutional bodies are female; only 5.92% of departments and subordinate offices are female; and only 5.71% of autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies are female. Furthermore, just 41 boards out of 357 federal bodies have met the 33% women representation requirement, and 88 board constitutions are still being drafted.
