ILO ranks Pakistan worst in South Asia for gender pay gap; India edges ahead

Pakistan has been ranked among the worst in South Asia for wage disparities between men and women, according to the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) latest Global Wage Report and a new Pakistan-specific paper.

The study shows that women in Pakistan earn on average 34 per cent less than men, a gap significantly wider than the global average of around 20 per cent.

This makes Pakistan the lowest performer in South Asia, with its gender pay gap larger than that of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

In comparison, the ILO estimates India’s gender wage gap at around 25 per cent — still significant, but notably lower than Pakistan’s. This places India ahead of its neighbour in terms of wage equity, though far from achieving parity.

While Pakistan’s figures highlight deep-rooted structural discrimination in its labour market, experts say India too faces persistent inequality, particularly in the informal sector where most women are employed.

Labour experts say the figures confirm long-standing concerns about structural discrimination, unequal access to formal employment and cultural barriers restricting women’s participation in Pakistan’s workforce. The country has one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in the region, compounding the wage gap challenge.

In India, while the gap has narrowed marginally over the years, persistent disparities remain, particularly in the informal sector, where a majority of women are employed. Activists argue that stronger enforcement of equal pay laws and policies to boost women’s participation in skilled jobs are urgently needed across South Asia.

A large share of women in Pakistan remain employed in the low-wage informal sector — including agricultural labour, domestic work and home-based manufacturing — where jobs typically come with little to no legal protection, formal contracts, or social benefits.

The gender pay gap in Pakistan stems not just from economic factors, but also from entrenched cultural and institutional barriers. Traditional norms continue to dictate the division of labour at home and in the workplace, restricting women’s entry into full-time, better-paying jobs. Added social expectations around marriage, childcare and household duties often push women into part-time or low-flexibility roles, reinforcing wage inequality.

Pakistan ranks near the bottom of global gender parity indexes, with the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report placing the country 151st out of 156 nations, ahead of only a few countries in terms of women’s economic participation and opportunity, the report said.

With IANS inputs