Islamabad: The Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming convened at Parliament House under the leadership of Hon. Dr. Nafisa Shah, MNA, to address the state of female labor force participation in Pakistan, specifically focusing on the Care Economy and unpaid care work. The Committee examined government initiatives and policy measures aimed at enhancing women’s involvement in the formal economy, and discussed the importance of both paid and unpaid care work.

According to National Assembly of Pakistan, the Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of key Federal Secretaries and the presence of junior officers, which it deemed undermined parliamentary oversight. Presentations from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development were critiqued for lacking methodological clarity and robust policy analysis. The Committee emphasized the need for a nationally led policy framework on the Care Economy and called for detailed clarifications on survey methodologies and the recognition of women’s contributions in various sectors.

The Committee highlighted the potential of the Care Economy to boost employment and economic growth and reviewed the enforcement of the Protection of Domestic Workers Act, 2022. It was noted that women face significant wage disparities, earning 30 percent less monthly and 25 percent less hourly than men, according to the Pakistan Gender Pay Gap Report 2025. The Committee also discussed legal and regulatory challenges affecting care workers and recommended several measures to improve their recognition and working conditions.

The Committee deferred further consideration of the agenda to its next meeting, demanding higher-level participation and better-prepared presentations from concerned ministries. The meeting included participation from several senators, MNAs, and officials from various ministries.