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Socio-Economic Context of Women in Pakistan
The population of Pakistan is almost 155 million
It has grown by 19 percent since 1998
The male female ratio is 108:100
Women constitute 48 percent of Pakistan’s population
Their health and social development indicators are poor as compared to males,
both urban as well as in rural areas of the province
The under five-mortality rate for females is 119 as compared to men, which is
109 per 1000 live births
The average age at marriage is 22 years for women
The estimated crude birth rate is 34 per 1000
The total fertility rate is 4.5 births, by women reaching age 45-49
The maternal mortality ratio is estimated to be 500 per 100,000 live births every
year
The overall literacy ratio in Pakistan is 49.9 percent
At the same time female literacy ratio is only 36 percent
Urban areas have a higher literacy ratio both for males and females
Literacy levels for rural women is only 20 percent
65.5 percent of Pakistan’s population is rural and is dependent on agriculture and
related sectors
Socio-Economic Context of Women in Sindh
According to the 1998 census, the population ofSindh is almost 30 million, which has
grown by 58 percent since the last census in 1981. The male female ratio is 111:100
Women constitute 47 percent of Sindh’s population.1
1 ‘Population and Housing Census of Pakistan(1998), Provincial Results of
Sindh: Census Bulletin-4, Population Census Organization, Government of
Pakistan, Islamabad.
The infant mortality rate for women is 105 as compared to men, which is 93 per 1000
live births. In Sindh 2. the average age at marriage is 21.6 years for women and 25.7
years for men. The estimated crude birth rate is 33 per 1000 and 28 percent constitute
mothers with more than 5 births. The completed fertility size is 6.0 births, by women
reaching age 45-49. more than 4,000 mothers die every year due to pregnancy related
issues.
The overall literacy ratio in Sindh is 47 percent, which is higher than the national ratio of
45 percent. But at the same time female literacy ratio is only 36 percent against the
national average of 33 percent. Literacy levels for rural women are only 12 percent.
Literacy Rate of Women in Sindh (percentage)
Year Women1975 20.01980 21.51985 22.41990 23.71995 25.8
Table Source: Social Policy and Development Centre, “Social Development in
Pakistan, Annual Review, 1998, pg 130
Social Development Indicators for Men and Women in Sindh
Indicator Women Men
Literacy Rate 34.8% 58.5%Gross Primary Enrolment 35.2% 58.2%Combined Primary and Secondary 18.1% 29.9%Urban Literacy Rate 56.7% 69.4%Available # of Primary Schools 21,992 32,909Maternal Mortality 8/1,000 live births ----Infant Mortality Rate 105/1,000 live births 93/1,000 live birthsLabor Force Participation 6.9% 67%Top Managerial Jobs 0.23% 29.48%
Source: Social Development in Pakistan Annual Review 2001, Ministry of Education,
and Development Statistics of Sindh, Sindh BOS 2002
2 ‘District Population Profile: Sindh’, Operationalizing and Interpreting
Population Census for Planning, Multi-donor Support Unit, Islamabad, March
2002
Sindh has much more equal distribution of over 6 million women living in the urban
areas and just 7 million women living in rural areas 3. Of these approximately 3 million
women are over the age of eighteen, residing in both urban and rural regions.
Percentage of Women in Major Occupation Groups in Sindh
Total Occupations All Areas Rural UrbanTotal M F Total M F Total M F
Legislators, Senior Officials and
100 92.6 7.37 55.7 50.3 5.38 44.3 42.3 1.99
Managers 13.8 13.6 0.15 2.68 2.66 0.3 11.1 11.0 0.13
Professionals 2.53 2.29 0.23 0.76 0.74 0.2 1.77 1.55 0.22Technicians and Associate Professionals
5.74 5.01 0.72 2.69 2.58 0.11 3.05 2.43 0.62
Source: “Labor Force Survey 1999-2000,” Federal Bureau of Statistics, Statistics
Division, Government of Pakistan, July 2001
Percentage of Women in Major Divisions of Industry in Sindh
Major Industry Division Rural UrbanAgriculture, Forestry, Hunting and Fishing 5.15 0.07Mining and Quarrying --- ---Manufacturing 0.04 0.47Electricity, Gas and Water 0.03 ---Construction --- 0.02Wholesale and Retail Trade Restaurants and Hotels 0.03 0.09Financing, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services
--- 0.04
Community, Social and Personal Services 0.14 1.30
Source: Labor force Survey July 2001.