THE lack of financial literacy and income-related education for young girls in society is an issue often overlooked. While academic excellence is often en-couraged for girls, there remains little focus on teaching them how to manage money and explore ways to earn in-dependently. In most households, especially in the rural areas, financial matters are traditionally considered a domain specific to male members.

This not only limits girls’ preparedness for real-world challenges, but also affects their confidence in handling personal and professional finances later in life.

According to the World Bank, only seven per cent of Pakistani women have access to formal financial services, and fewer are aware of basic financial tools, such as budgeting, investing or even saving systematically. This gap begins to widen even in schools and at home where girls are rarely taught how to manage money matters. In contrast, girls who are intro-duced to financial concepts early in life are more likely to become confident, independent and empowered adults.

This is not a call to push girls into earning at a young age, but to equip them with the skills to understand how money works.

Schools can include basic finance in their curriculum, and parents can involve daughters in simple budgeting activities at home. With the rise of digital banking, early exposure to income-related knowledge is more relevant than ever.

Moazma Aslam
Sialkot

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2025