In Pakistan women are rarely absent. They work quietly but constantly holding households and communities together in fields kitchens small shops tailoring units and home based businesses where work and responsibility merge. Yet when discussions turn to economic value leadership or national progress women often seem invisible. This contradiction lies at the heart of Pakistan’s gender inequality challenge. Women are working but much of their labour exists outside systems that record protect or allow it to grow.

The numbers reflect this imbalance. Pakistan continues to rank among the lowest performing countries on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index with a gender parity score of 56.7 percent in 2025. While this is the highest score in nearly two decades it remains far from equitable. These figures point less to women’s absence and more to the limited space available to them within formal economic and decision making structures.

A large part of the issue lies in the nature of women’s work. Nearly three quarters of working women in Pakistan are employed in informal roles particularly in agriculture and domestic labour. This informal workforce contributes an estimated 37 percent to national GDP a striking figure that highlights how deeply the economy relies on women’s labour while offering them little protection in return. Without documentation job security or legal safeguards women remain excluded from benefits leadership pathways and long term financial stability.

True inclusion therefore cannot stop at participation alone. It must extend to influence. When women are able to move into positions where decisions are made policies are shaped and priorities are set workplaces tend to become more balanced resilient and responsive. For Pakistan enabling women to lead is not simply a social goal but a practical step towards sustainable economic growth.

This kind of change does not happen on its own. It requires intentional policies transparent career pathways and work environments where advancement is based on fairness rather than familiarity. It also requires challenging long held assumptions about where women belong in professional and public life.

Some organisations have begun addressing these gaps by focusing on both workplace reform and community engagement. Unilever Pakistan for example has taken steps to build more inclusive structures by strengthening parental support policies including extended maternity leave for women and paternity leave for men. Alongside this the company has invested in mentorship opportunities not only for its own employees but also for women professionals beyond the organisation recognising that guidance and sponsorship often determine who progresses and who does not.

Beyond corporate offices efforts have also focused on supporting women at the community level particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare skills training and income opportunities remains limited.

One such initiative was the Guddi Baji Livelihoods Program launched in 2012 in partnership with the Rural Support Program Network. Over the years the programme trained more than 8,000 women across villages in Pakistan enabling them to build livelihoods as entrepreneurs and sales agents.

The programme offered more than income. It gave women confidence mobility and a sense of financial independence. Although the initiative has since concluded it remains a powerful example of what becomes possible when women are trusted with opportunity and sustained support.

Conversations around inclusion have also expanded into broader civic and leadership spaces. Initiatives such as the Champions for Change Coalition have encouraged leaders to view gender inclusion as a shared responsibility rather than a women’s issue alone. Yet despite these efforts much remains to be done.

Women’s work in Pakistan continues to be largely informal undocumented and undervalued. Closing this gap will require stronger collaboration sustained dialogue and a willingness to use existing digital and policy tools so women are not only seen working but recognised protected and empowered to shape the country’s future.

This content is an advertorial by Unilever and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Dawn.com or its editorial staff.