Women’s share in jobs still below 20 per cent | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Women’s share in jobs still below 20 per cent

ISLAMABAD: Despite government claim of empowering women after the enactment of Women Protection Act, their share in major occupation groups amongst employed person is less than 20 per cent compared with men all over Pakistan.

According to the latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2005-06, men dominate major occupations with 80.52 per cent share against women’s 19.48 per cent of the employed persons There are a total 69.19 per cent among employed persons in rural areas of the country with 53.26 per cent men and 15.94 per cent women. In urban areas of Pakistan, the total workforce stands at 30.81 per cent with 27.27 per cent male and 3.54 per cent female.

The share of neglected agriculture sector is declining in the overall growth of the country. Similar trend applied in its contribution towards providing skilled jobs.

The share of skilled agriculture and fisheries workers stands at 35.31 per cent. The share of elementary (unskilled) occupants is alarming, which stands at 19.23 per cent with 15.56 per cent men and 3.67 per cent women. The total unskilled workers in rural areas stand at 14.23 per cent and 5.01 per cent in urban areas.

The share of legislators, senior officials and managers stands at 11.98 per cent of the total employed person including 11.58 per cent men and 0.40 per cent women.

In the rural population it is 5.32 per cent with 5.10 per cent male and 0.22 per cent female. In this category, the urban employed persons are 6.66 per cent with 6.48 per cent male and 0.28 per cent female.

The professionals are only 1.67 per cent with 1.44 per cent male and 0.23 per cent female all over the country. In rural areas, the professionals are 0.62 per cent with 0.57 per cent men and 0.05 per cent women. In urban areas, there are total 1.05 per cent professionals with 0.87 per cent men and 0.18 per cent women.

According to the LFS 2005-06 technicians and associate professionals share 5.09 per cent all over Pakistan, with 3.57 per cent men and 1.52 per cent female.

There are a total of 2.51 per cent technicians and associate professionals in rural areas with 1.83 per cent men and 0.67 per cent female.

There percentage of total clerks in Pakistan is 1.43 including 1.37 per cent men and 0.06 per cent women. The rural areas have 0.43 per cent clerks with 0.42 per cent men and 0.01 per cent females. The urban Pakistan has 1 per cent clerks with 0.95 per cent men and 0.05 per cent female.

In the category of service workers and shop and market sales workers, they are 5.37 per cent in the country including 5.20 per cent men and 0.17 per cent females. There are only 2.47 per cent service workers in rural areas of which 2.42 per cent are men and 0.05 per cent women. It is almost the same for urban areas with 2.90 per cent including 2.78 per cent men and 0.12 per cent female.

The total craft and related trade workers in Pakistan is 15.76 per cent including 12.91 per cent men and 2.84 per cent female. In rural areas they are 7.68 per cent with 6.06 per cent male and 1.62 per cent female. In urban Pakistan they are 8.08 per cent with 6.85 per cent men and 1.23 per cent female.

The plant and machine operators and assemblers are 4.16 per cent all over the country with 4.11 per cent men and 0.05 per cent female. In the rural parts of the country, they are 2.32 per cent with 2.29 per cent men and 0.03 per cent female. There are total 1.84 per cent workers in the same category in urban areas with men sharing 1.81 per cent such jobs while women stand at only 0.02 per cent.

Source: The News

Date:2/14/2007