CSS Gender Studies Status of Women in Pakistan Syllabus

Which province has the lowest female literacy rate in Pakistan?

Balochistan, with female literacy often reported below 35%.

Name three major causes of low female enrolment and high dropout in Pakistan.

Poverty/opportunity cost, distance and lack of nearby girls' schools, and early marriage plus cultural restrictions on girls' mobility.

What is the 'gender gap in enrolment' and how does it change with education level in Pakistan?

The difference between male and female enrolment; the gap widens at higher levels, being smallest at primary and largest at secondary and tertiary stages.

What does 'feminisation of teaching' mean in Pakistan's education context?

The concentration of women in the teaching profession, especially at primary level, while remaining underrepresented in higher administrative and decision-making roles.

Which international framework targets gender equality in education as Goal 4 and Goal 5?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

What is the difference between Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Net Enrolment Ratio (NER)?

GER includes all enrolled students regardless of age as a percentage of the official age population; NER counts only students of the official age group, so it is always lower.

What is the 'opportunity cost' argument against girls' education in poor households?

The income or domestic labour lost when a girl attends school instead of working or doing household chores, discouraging families from educating daughters.

Define Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR).

The percentage of working-age women (15+) who are either employed or actively seeking work.

What is Pakistan's approximate Female Labour Force Participation Rate?

Around 21-24%, one of the lowest in South Asia and far below the male rate (~68%).

In which economic sector is the largest share of employed Pakistani women concentrated?

Agriculture, where most women work as unpaid family helpers or low-wage labourers.

What is the 'gender wage gap'?

The difference between average earnings of men and women, usually expressed as the percentage by which women's pay falls below men's for comparable work.

Define the 'informal economy' and women's role in it in Pakistan.

Economic activity outside formal regulation and social protection; the majority of working Pakistani women are in the informal sector (home-based work, domestic work, agriculture) without contracts or benefits.

What is a 'home-based worker' and why is the category significant for women in Pakistan?

A person who produces goods or services from home for the market; a large, mostly female and undercounted workforce, leading to Pakistan's Home-Based Workers policies and laws.

Define the 'glass ceiling' in the context of women's employment.

An invisible barrier of attitudes and organizational bias that prevents women from rising to senior management and leadership positions despite qualifications.

What is 'occupational segregation' by gender?

The concentration of women and men in different jobs or sectors; horizontal segregation (different fields) and vertical segregation (different ranks within a field).

What is the 'double burden' or 'second shift' faced by working women?

The combination of paid employment with the bulk of unpaid domestic and care work, increasing women's total workload.

Name three barriers limiting women's workforce participation in Pakistan.

Restrictive social norms and mobility limits, lack of safe transport and childcare, and workplace harassment plus the gender pay gap.

What is the feminisation of poverty?

The phenomenon whereby women constitute a disproportionate share of the world's poor, due to wage gaps, unpaid care work, and limited asset ownership.

Which constitutional article guarantees equality of all citizens before the law and prohibits sex discrimination in Pakistan?

Article 25, which guarantees equality of citizens and states there shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex.

Which constitutional article allows the State to make special provisions for the protection of women and children?

Article 25(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan.

What did the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 establish?

It defines workplace sexual harassment, requires every organization to adopt a code of conduct and inquiry committee, and creates Ombudsperson offices for complaints.

What is the purpose of the Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act, 2006 (Women's Protection Act)?

It amended the Hudood Ordinances, moving rape from Zina to the Pakistan Penal Code and removing the requirement of four witnesses for rape prosecution.

What were the Hudood Ordinances of 1979 and why were they criticized regarding women?

Islamization laws including the Zina Ordinance that conflated rape with adultery, often penalizing female victims and requiring four male witnesses, widely criticized as discriminatory.

What does the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act, 2011 criminalize?

Customs such as forced marriage, marriage to the Quran, depriving women of inheritance, and the exchange of women to settle disputes (vani/swara).

What protection does the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2016 provide against 'honour killings'?

It closes the loophole allowing family forgiveness (qisas/diyat) in honour killings, mandating life imprisonment regardless of pardon by heirs.

What right does the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Act, 2011 address?

It regulates the sale of acid and prescribes stringent punishment (up to life imprisonment) for acid attacks, which predominantly target women.

Under Pakistani/Islamic law, what share of inheritance does a daughter typically receive relative to a son?

A daughter generally inherits half the share of a son; the Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Act 2020 helps women secure these rights against deprivation.

What is the significance of the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939 for women?

It grants Muslim women statutory grounds to seek judicial divorce (khula and faskh), such as cruelty, desertion, or failure to maintain.

What is 'khula' in family law?

A woman's right to seek dissolution of marriage through the court, usually by returning her dower (mehr), without needing the husband's consent.

What is the difference between de jure and de facto equality for women, illustrated with Pakistan?

De jure equality is equality guaranteed in law (e.g., Article 25), while de facto equality is equality in actual practice; Pakistan has strong de jure protections but weak de facto implementation due to social and institutional barriers.