WHY WOMEN WORK LESS IN PAKISTAN: A MULTI-LEVEL ANALYSIS AND THE ROLE OF CPEC

Abstract

This paper investigates why many women in Pakistan remain underrepresented in formal employment. It examines the issue through multi-level analysis: macro-societal, meso-organizational, and micro-individual. It further highlights that traditional roles and cultural expectations shape what women are "supposed" to do when it comes to work. In many cases, these ideas limit their choices before they even begin. Inside the workplace, institutional structures often perpetuate exclusion. Company rules, hiring practices, or office culture can make it harder for women to get in — or to move up. Then it examines how family duties, lack of support, and pressure from those around them critically influence their choices and decisions.

The paper also explores how the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was expected to create inclusive jobs but failed to address pre-existing gender disparities. The failure was due to skill mismatches, lack of local inclusion strategies, and the male-dominated nature of key industries. The main goal of this paper is to understand these layers of challenges and suggest practical ways forward, so more women can step into the workforce and stay there on equal ground.

Keywords: Women, Workforce, Social Norms, Personal Barriers, CPEC