You’ll find women working everywhere in Pakistan — from running households and family shops to teaching kids, picking crops, and stitching clothes. Their hard work is the glue that keeps homes and communities together, and it’s woven into the fabric of everyday life.
But while women’s work is absolutely vital, it still doesn’t get the recognition or protection it deserves. Their efforts don’t always translate into opportunities, visibility, or leadership roles. And this ongoing gap isn’t just a personal challenge for women; it’s quietly shaping the country’s economic future too.
Pakistan’s struggle to bring women fully into the workforce isn’t news, but it’s still urgent. The country continues to rank near the bottom in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report for 2025. With only 56.7 percent gender parity, this is Pakistan’s best score since 2006, but it’s still far from what’s needed.
One reason for this disparity is the type of work women are doing. Most women are employed in informal sectors like agriculture and domestic work—roles that often go undocumented and unprotected. Nearly 74 percent of Pakistan’s informal workforce is female, and this sector alone contributes about 37 percent to the nation’s GDP. Despite this huge economic input, women remain underrepresented in formal jobs and leadership positions, leaving much of Pakistan’s talent untapped.
Fixing this isn’t just about getting women into the workforce—it’s about helping them influence and lead. When women step into decision-making roles, businesses and the larger economy benefit from broader perspectives and better long-term planning. Achieving this requires clear policies, fair promotion structures, and accountability measures to ensure women are not just participants, but leaders shaping Pakistan’s future.
Unilever Pakistan: Leading the Way on Inclusion
Unilever Pakistan stands out for embedding diversity and inclusion into its core practices. With accessible policies and a strong push for change, the company has expanded parental support, offering six months of maternity leave and paternity leave for dads. Unilever partners with organizations to offer mentorship, not just to its own female employees but to women across different professions. The company also backs rural women through healthcare, training, and livelihood programs.
Unilever’s Guddi Baji Livelihoods Program, launched in 2012 with the Rural Support Program Network, brings these initiatives beyond the boardroom. It trains women in villages to become entrepreneurs and Unilever product agents. From salons to retail and digital partnerships with JazzCash, over
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