Policy Brief Requirements

Pakistan remains the second worst performer on the Global Gender Gap Index. Your job is to advise the PM
on a strategy to improve Pakistan’s standing on the Global Gender Gap Index. Your brief must
1. Use the databases in the World Bank Open Data Bank to graphically present indicators of the Global
Gender Gap Index for Pakistan since 2010
2. Highlight specifically which indicator(s) you believe the PM’s office should be focusing on
3. Present intervention(s) to improve the indicator(s) you have identified based on the local socio-
economic context
Abstract requirements :
1. No more than 250 words
2. Must have at least 2 academic references
3. Provide an overview of the problem i.e. what does the gender gap index mean, what does it entail.
4. What is Pakistan's current ranking? What does it mean?
5. Highlight why the problem matters (using course material).
How you would tackle a development issue as a policy-maker. You are expected to write a thoughtful brief
that has been carefully revised and polished. (1.5 spacing, 12 font).
The brief will be graded according to both content and quality of writing.
In the brief I expect you to:
1. Define the problem
a. What is the issue? What may be the factors causing the issue?
b. Why is it necessary to address the issue? Why do you think the current
economic/social/political situation is not up to the task of solving the dilemma?
2. Unless stated otherwise, give the country of your choice. If question states the country, what will be
your region of focus?
a. Are there examples of other countries/regions that have faced the same or a similar problem?
b. How did they or what steps have they taken to solve the problem?
i. If these steps are different from what you propose why is their policy not adequate?
ii. If these steps are the same as what you propose then what are the similarities in the
two situations that make their solution appropriate?
3. What is your proposed solution? You can draw on a solution that has already been tried or come up
with a new one. If the question provides you with a solution then critically evaluate said solution.
a. What are the pros and cons? I expect you to give an honest assessment of the costs and
benefits.
b. Does the solution/policy proposed in your question make sense? Does it need amendments? A
complete overhaul? If so, what? Make a strong case for why your proposed
solution/amendments should be implemented. And why the amendments make sense in the
socio-economic and political context of the country/region of your choice.
c. Be as specific in your solution as possible. As mentioned below, I expect to see at least 3 peer
reviewed journal articles in your list of references. Use at least 1 article in your proposed
solution.

Back your arguments with research/statistics. I expect to see at least 3 articles from peer review journals (look
through articles/journals on Jstor) in your reference list. The brief should have a short summary at the
beginning.
 Policy Brief Abstract

Hashim Shabbir 21020546

Arshad Ali 21020512

Pakistan is poised on the horns of a dilemma due to adverse performance on the Global Gender
Gap Index. Currently it is ranked second worst country (148-out-of-149) in the world on this
index in terms of gender parity (World Economic Forum Report 2018). This indicator reveals the
extent of inequality, discrimination and marginalization faced by women in Pakistan. Rather than
being an agent of socio-economic change, women are chained in vicious dependency traps with
low investment made on their socio-economic development. Factors leading to gender parity
include wage-inequality, educational-inequality (Chaudhry, I. (2007)), low-employment
opportunities (Sabir, M. (2015)) and early-marriages. Current government policies to eradicate
gender-inequality are impetuously approved and half-heartedly implemented. Our region of
focus includes rural-areas of Punjab. Our proposed strategy for the PM to improve Pakistan’s
standing on the Global Gender Gap Index include introduction of socio-economic policies aimed
at women empowerment through improving education, creating employment opportunities,
reducing childcare burden, providing healthcare facilities, and investing in socio-human
development of women. Indicators that PM’s office should specifically focus on include: women
empowerment indicators (labor-force-participation and political-representation) and gender
development indicators (women-literacy-rate and healthcare). Bangladesh successfully came out
of a similar situation by effective women empowerment policies (Schuler, S., & Hashemi, S.
(1994)). These are quite similar to those that we have proposed. Due to competitive world
economic system it would be detrimental for Pakistan if both men and women do not contribute
together for the growth and development of a country. Our purposed solution provides simple
but concrete solutions that can be implemented successfully.
 Work Cited List

Schuler, S., & Hashemi, S. (1994). Credit Programs, Women's Empowerment, and Contraceptive
use in Rural Bangladesh. Studies in Family Planning, 25(2), 65-76. doi:10.2307/2138085

Sabir, M. (2015). Gender Inequality in Labour Force Participation: An Empirical Investigation. The
Pakistan Development Review,54(4), 551-564. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/43831340

Chaudhry, I. (2007). Gender Inequality in Education and Economic Growth: Case Study of
Pakistan. Pakistan Horizon,60(4), 81-91. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/41500094