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.