SECP chalks out a ‘Gender-Smart Product Framework’

ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has chalked out a Gender-Smart Product Framework for women working in companies.

The SECP has issued the Draft Women EquiSmart Policy 2025–2028, its first comprehensive gender equality framework for regulated sectors, including capital markets, insurance, non-banking finance, and the corporate sector. The framework is now available on the SECP’s website for public consultation.

The SECP aims to devise comprehensive regulatory framework defining key concepts, eligibility criteria and design principles for gender-smart financial instruments under regulated sectors. This includes review

of existing frameworks including SECP Gender Bond Guidelines and leverage globally recognized standards that include International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) GenderSmart Investing Framework, UN Women’s Gender-Responsive Finance

The framework with indicative scorecards shall encouraged to be adopted by companies voluntarily and will also be helpful for institutions in aligning product development with recognized gender-lens investing standards. This will require collaboration with institutions, multilateral institutions and private sector to pilot innovative gender-smart products and scale successful initiatives. SECP would also encourage PSX to enhance its own disclosures (e.g., gender parity in its workforce/leadership) and collaborate to offer ESG/Gender-themed products, gender ETFs or indexes.

The draft framework reflects the SECP’s strategic shift from fragmented diversity efforts to a structured, cohesive regulatory approach to gender inclusion, aligned with national priorities and global frameworks. Built around six core pillars—women’s leadership on boards, gender-disaggregated reporting, women’s entrepreneurship, gender-smart products, workplace inclusivity, and institutional capacity building—the policy outlines current practices, identifies existing gaps and provides actionable recommendations supported by timelines and key stakeholders.

In response to these imperatives, SECP formally approved the development of a comprehensive Gender Policy for its regulated sector. This policy titled Women EquiSmart Policy embodies

SECP’s vision of promoting inclusive reforms through evidence-based regulatory measures that are not only responsive to women’s needs but also strategically aligned with data-driven insights and global best practices. The policy has been carefully structured around key pillars including regulatory reforms, capacity building, gender-responsive product development, workplace inclusivity and data transparency. The policy will be implemented through a phased Action Plan, detailed at the end of this document, which outlines key reforms, indicative timelines and collaborative responsibilities under each policy pillar. The Policy and action plan shall be finalized based on consultation from all relevant stakeholders.

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