Was this news supposed to be about India. OR is it again the age old pakistani habit of - compare with India, it they are bad too, its fine, nothing really needs to be done. I have listened to interviews of eminent Pakistanis. When questioned about the social issues, they go on the backfoot, do errr,aahh, ummm and then their only comeback is 'hey look at the neighbouhood, you should ask them first'. Sometimes I feel like telling these blockheads, that they are represntative of pakistan. This mentality used to be present in India about 10-15 yrs back (not pointing to pakistan, but pointing to others , the biggest excuse was 'others are doing worse'. ) Everything has changed now, thanks to the new kind of politics and the youth entering the politics of India.

India slipping from 101 rank to 114 in gender equality is matter of concern. Although women empowerment has improved considerably in India but still we need to work on women literacy & curb female foeticide to improve sex ratio. As per 2011 census, literacy rate in India was 82.14% for men and 65.46% for women; huge gap between men & women. And as far as sex ratio is concern, there are 940 female per 1000 men in India; though, sex ratio has improved in last decade but still long way to go to bridge this gap.

Where there are systems like caste-ism in India, sectarian divide in Pakistan, gender inequality will always be there, specially in rural areas.

hahahaha shame shame on that reporting pakistan on last insted of heightlighting pakistan problems the news amazingly say last year india 114 and know these year 101 and they say that india women lack in education,health dawn what about pakistan womens bottom in list and no mention about condition of pakistani women

Please include pakistan also in article. Wat is pakistan rank? Wat are the criteria and benchmarks?

Wait a minute..! There is nothing about Pakistan in the article. Only Title?

Was the news regarding India or Pakistan ?

I don't believe in ranking system but this is not a hidden fact that there is gender inequality very much visible in society.

I fail to understand what is more important for pakistan.its India's rank or pakistan rank in global gender gap index.Most of news article talked how india has slipped to 114 from 101.I believe Pakistan is at rock bottom in rank which should more concerned.

Ok, lets read the list from bottom to top. Then we are first. Joke apart, that's a serious issue which is one of the root causes of our being economically and otherwise, backward. A concerted effort is needed to change that mindset which even religion has failed to bring about. Education, more education and widespread education is the answer to the problem, which ironically is a time lag policy but will eventually work.

You expected to be in top ??

This is really poor for South Asian countries.

You looks more concerned about India. Where are you in this ranking?

@mannish - I don't know what your point is other than feeling touchy for something that is not so good. It is only with "comparison" that one knows what is better or worse - logically!!! The ranking in Gender Gap Index IS essentially a "comparison".

These reports are mostly biased, and research methodology applied is defective , for data collection they depend on information provided by the Govt departments. See following facts. 1. In Pakistan Women have equal voting and election contesting rights plus they enjoy reserve seats in Assemblies. 2, In colleges, medical, dental, pharmacy and universities girls are more than the boys. 3. We have women at power positions in all offices and private sector organisations 4, Our marriage contract (nikah) is duly registered with a copy to bride and Muslim Family Laws are in place and thus a woman has a right to go to the court of law. 5.Our wages law is same for both sexes 6. We protect and keep our girls with same dignity as our boys 7. Our girls in sports are doing better than boys see for example women cricket

News is about Pakistan or India?

The news item is misleading ; heading seems to be focussing on Pakistan, but inside the news the focus is on India rather than Pakistan.

Errr.... if Pakistan is at bottom in gender equality global ranking do we really need to worry about where India is (better than us probably)?? Lets worry about what ails us first and then gloat where India or bangladesh or Somalia stand!

Access to education, and health is required for both males and females. However, many women do not want to take a full time job as they focus on raising a family. In any case on every issue man is not equal to women. The prophet (saw) put my mom at a higher pedastal than my dad. In terms of inheritance too woman have a smaller share than men. This creates interdependence between men and women. Which in Pakistan has been abused, mostly to the detriment of the woman. We need to restore the balance between men and women as per the dictates of Allah and not try to equalise men and women in all spheres as this Gender Gap Index is advocating. Let us not go from the frying pan into the fire. I know my comments are not acceptable to Dawn so they may not be published but I need to do my bit. May Allah guide us all.

@mannish same here... no need to compare with India, and it could be a simple news.....

@javed you should read it again about the ranking of India.

When you draw a line, what is easiest way to look it bigger? Draw a smaller line beside it. Even while reporting a news about Pakistan you bring in India. When will you guys come out of Indo-phobia?

Very funny!!! Nothing aboutg Pak being at bottom. But some satisfaction that India is much below China! Are Pakistanis now fantasising that if China rises then they too rise?

One more feather in the glorious cap of Pakistani state, actually the cap has already started to look like a native Indian head gear.I think your obsession with India will lead you down the drain. I don't even understand this reporting.We can be at the bottom of the heap,but enemy is not on the top either....so we are OK

Women are there in every field in India but that does not mean gender equality.I saw a comedy program on TV. Farha Khan is a director,she is very busy.Not every man is a film director.But there was her friends making fun of her that she is not a good wife and a wife is supposed to feed her husband.It was said as a joke but humour comes from the social thinking.It's time we first analyse that when a women is busy and earning,does she have to go home and cook?Why is cooking always for women and bring home money,job of men?In restaurants the same men category is cooking and serving.

Please read article on same issue In TOI it does not have comparison with neighbour and give details like education standards, politics, job and R&D etc.

@Akbaruddin appreciate your comment.

....and we still ' bad mouth ' people like Malala who are trying to do something. No wonder we are at the bottom of the list.

I would like to see the rank of Pakistan in the field of terrorism. I except a world rank. Probably all Pakistani's too expect that.

Pathetic ! Without empowering women the country will not be able to make economic progress.

Such informative article you will find only in Dawn. Thanks

Pakistan has the No.1 rank in the number of reported polio cases. Of all Polio cases reported in the world, 80% are from Pakistan alone. So low women participation is not a surprise for Pakistanis.

Strange!!! Some of the African countries dealing with Civil war have been ranked much above than South Asian Countries. Though, gender inequality do exist in this part of world, but it is not as bad as shown in report. What shocked me most was almost every South Asian country, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had woman as their head of state at some point. A lot of other women have made their name in various fields, but still we are projected as the backwards. Why not western media openly declare us Barbaric and make us shunt from world. At least, then we can live in peace.

@mannish Just read the same news in India. They mention Pakistan too. So not much progress in the mentality over there too yeh

I thought the Arab countries were the worst when it comes to gender equality. Not to forget that in the Arab world they have to take permission of their male guardian for doing anything and everything.

Conspiracy of the Western world to show Islam in bad light. What is wrong with Pakistani females? They are the most Pak women in the world: Chaste, fearful of Allah and his prophet, good mother, good sister and daughter, work at the professional level as well as around the house. I think men around the world should look for muslim females as their wife material and they should convert to islam after wedding.

Just to clarify, the ranking of us Indians is not very good either. We need to work more on gender equality and we will !

I feel India and pakistan need to work on their gender equality, labor equality, religion equality and all the equalities in the world... Lets create a wonderful world

@mannish Dude, you need to chill out a little. This is just a news and not an analysis or a discussion. Dawn has every right to print the good, bad, and ugly about Pakistan and any part of the world, and yes it includes India also. Looks like you Indians visit Dawn for only two reasons: 1) To read negative news about Pakistan so that you can rejoice, 2) Read positive news about India so you can feel good and have a chance to brag in the comments section. If there is any positive news about Pakistan, you guys flood the comments section with "Well This happened in India a long time ago, what's the big deal .......". If there is anything negative published about India, you guys go complete insane and call into question a Pakistani's right to criticize India. This is a very well respected newspaper, I have been reading it for well over 40 years and I have never found it to be anti-India. Please grow up and relax your sphincter a little bit!

@Farooq Ali I agree.. and I may add we had a female prime minister as well!

Looks like this article is telling pakistanis that: "Dont worry, we are doing just fine, look at india, their ranking fell from 101 to 114"

This article is mostly about economical gender inequality. Pakistan is also one of the WORST and dangerous country for women to live in (due to the very high percentage of domestic violence and no protection given to women against it). In the list, Afghanistan #1, cango #2 and Pakistan #3. (now please dont say to look at Afghanistan and cango, we are better than them) When I talk to Pakistanis, their answer is "domestic violence is a global issue, its not only pakistan". They dont understand that in Pakistan, 90% women (especially in rural areas) are victim of domestic violence and have suffered some form of abuse. If those cases are not reported, it doesnt mean it doesnt happen. Also, I dont think there will be a single case in Pakistan's history where a husband is sent to jail for raising hand on his wife. In west, once a man is convicted for domestic violence. He is considered a criminal. It becomes a public record. His career is destroyed, because after having background check, no one offers him a decent job. Does it happen in Pakistan???

@mannish - why should you be offended sir? As I see comments on dawn all the time - both Indian and Pakistani readers are very competitive and I have not seen a single article, where either a Pakistani or an Indian has not compared the upper hand of his/her country over the neighbor. When you read where your country stands in world ranking - doesn't matter good or bad, the first thing comes - how is my neighbor doing?

@mannish You are absolutely right!

Pakistan's political,judicial,cultural,religious,wadera,and the instilled caste system all helps to keep the women at the rubbish heap's bottom . Beneficiaries of the status quo help to maintain it.

Somehow it's giving me a feeling that all the developed countries can be symbolised as a Posh locality,where women are participating outdoors, are more outgoing with more freedom and we in South Asia are one of those low lying jhuggi locality where there are lot of nuisance and bickering in the family where neighbours are fighting with each other on smallest of issue, children are fighting while playing and by evening all the males fight with women and could be wife beaters , not giving freedom to females and girl child. But there is a catch, even in poshest homes, women are not completely equal , in few cases the women are having ornamental freedom, not real ! What looks is not exactly true there as well !

it is a heartening ranking...but when we come to beneficial aspects these surveys we shockingly become aware that these surveys help that section of women who are already privileged,resourceful against that sections of women who really reel under the strict kind of patriarchal society in Pakistan...women are given special importance in virtually every department of the government and those merited capitalize it...so the greater importance must be given to that section of women who are bound to work in agricultural and industrial fields..and probably the domestic women.

Pakistan should concentrate on improving the plights of women in Pakistan. It does not matter what India any one else does. They are Pakistani citizens and deserve equal right, opportunities and protection. Pointing to other countries is not a solution.

for sure there are several more countries where women are in worst conditions but they have targated Pakistan. this report seems biased one. women are at their worst in india

Bangladesh position 68. Ahead all south asian country.

@Seedoo looks like you pakistanis and your media have same views and we knew about it. so what's the big deal ...?

It saddens me greatly to see Pakistan's poor rating. I lived for many years in Pakistan and worked with young women at a university in Lahore. The girls were as bright and capable as the boys. I knew outstanding women in leadership roles - like Benazir Bhutto - and many others who were capable lawyers, doctors, professors, journalists, NGO leaders, executives of many businesses. It seems that the country has been going backwards in recent years. Empowerment of women leads to empowerment of a nation. You cannot handicap half your population and make any progress. I pray that this will change - and change must come soon.

@Seedoo - Well said...summed it up really well.

@Farooq Ali : Only the girl's schools are destroyed - which speaks the minds of the society and the belief.