World Bank report: FWCCI voices concern over proportion of women in labour force

President Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FWCCI) Qurat-ul-Ain has expressed concern over the recent report of World Bank that women make only 25 percent of the Pakistan's labour force which is lowest in this region.

Talking to newsmen here Wednesday, she said that youth is an economic strength of any country if properly utilised for economic growth. She said that in male-dominated society, women are handicapped to work as an equal partner of the society.

"They are not only discouraged by the employers and society but also by their own family members on different social and religious taboos". She said that recent corona outbreak has provided a unique opportunity to the present Government to reset and reboot its economy with proportionate representation of women.

She said that government must chalk out a comprehensive programme immediately after the corona lockdown period is over to take necessary measures to involve women in economic activity proportionate to their overall population. She said that if 75 percent women remained away from the economic activity, we could not make breakthrough in our economy which is dire need of the time.

She said that there are hundreds of thousands of female MBBS doctors and Post-Graduate pass-outs being produced by public and private universities every year in Pakistan.

"It is observed that 65-85 percent female graduates and post-graduates become housewives immediately after their marriage while government and parents have to spend at least Rs5 million and Rs3 million respectively on them. She said that we are of the strong opinion that these highly educated females must start their own in-house businesses instead of only becoming housewives.