Press Release

Feminization of Poverty in Pakistan

Feminization of Poverty can be defined as the increase in proportion and severity of poverty
in women-headed households (WHHs) and the rise in womens participation in low-paying,
urban, informal sector economic activities. 75% of the population in Pakistan lives below the
poverty line and a large majority of this population comprises of women and girls. This was
stated by Ms Tahira Adbullah, a prominent human rights activist and development worker at a
Public Talk organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad.
Welcoming the speaker and the guests, Ambassador (Retd) Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, Director
General Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, said that Ms Abdullah is a true fighter of
human rights in Pakistan that the status quo holders abhor her efforts and that societies live
because of people like Ms Abdullah. He was of the view that more and more people are
recognizing the fact that poverty is a denial of human rights and that women are at the
receiving end in homes. Women are viewed in terms of relationships and are not viewed in
terms of their own identity. The situation is worse in traditional societies,.
Ms Tahira Abdullah gave an insightful and comprehensive overview of the deteriorating social
effects of poverty within Pakistan, especially on women. She began by saying that successive
governments in Pakistan have manoeuvred the poverty figures and a census has not been
carried out in Pakistan since 1998. In order to change the poverty figures, head count goal posts
and definitions were changed, and also the rupee-dollar exchange rate was also changed. Ms
Abdullah was of the view that the work done by Dr Mehboob ul Haqs and his centre has greatly
contributed in undertaking very credible studies on poverty, development and socio economic
issues.

Ms Tahira Abdullah said that besides the rise in womens participation in low-paying urban,
informal sector economic activities, agricultural non-remunerated work are also indicators of
feminization of poverty. She was of the view that women experience poverty differentially, and
are worse off than men in terms of poverty. Womens very real contribution to the national
economy is still not counted in the GDP of the country. According to Ms Abdullah, the Federal
Bureau of Statistics data on womens employment (released through Labour Force Surveys)
does not accurately captures rural womens work in agriculture, nor womens work in nonformal, unorganized sector of urban economy.

According to the Government of Pakistan over 70% of rural women work in agriculture &
livestock and over 3/4th urban female labour force works in non-formal sector.

Ms Abdullah said that women continue to suffer from inadequate remuneration, skills training,
legal protection, social protection & security, health & maternity benefits under labour laws,
right of unionization etc. She highlighted the fact that home-based women workers (64% of
entire female work force) are not counted, rather they are exploited by both contractor &
middleman, and are deprived of labour rights. She said that there was a continuation of
gendered division of labour and ghettoization of womens work.

She was of the view that there is an urgent need to address this alarming feminization of
poverty through social security and protection measures and by asserting ownership such as
land, property, and livestock (through inheritance, gifts and joint title deeds)
Speaking about the suffering of women in the society, she said that although guarantees are
ensured in the constitution of Pakistan, such as Articles 25, 27, 34, 35, 37 of the 1973
Constitution, provisions ensuring gender equality and
affirmative action for women,
recognizing need to redress existing inequalities, women continue to suffer from poverty, and
continue to be victims of the patriarchy and feudalism in the country. She spoke about how the
Jirgas and Panchayats continue to sanction and legitimize customs like Vani and honour killings,
and how women have lack of access to justice and decision-making which leads to the
legislated inequality of women and minorities in the society.
The event was concluded after an enlightening question and answer session.