Pakistan

In terms of gender equity Pakistan is in critical condition. This South Asian country is far below the already dim regional average, and its only neighbour with a wider gap is Afghanistan, the nation in worst situation in the entire world.

The country’s development strategy is almost entirely centred on economic growth with little attention to environmental and social issues. Pakistan has the potential to provide energy for its population, but lacks planning to ensure that those most affected by mega projects are also taken into account. Its water shortage needs to be urgently addressed as eventually the river Indus will dry up. Reliable data on the number of bonded labourers there are in the country is urgently needed so that Government officials can no longer deny the rights of these highly exploited workers while the economy reaps the benefits of their work.

Source: Pakistan Today

Pakistani non-governmental organizations, among them the Civil Society Support Programme (CSSP, one of the members of Social Watch in that country), expressed their concern over the government’s silence on neither providing relief to the rain-hit population, nor inviting the international community to assist with rescue and rehabilitation.

Pension and retirement savings schemes are few in number and underutilized, because the majority of workers are not salaried employees, but rather self-employed. Although the two-tiered health care system includes a public system, it is poorly funded and faced with severe shortages. There is no public support system for children and adolescents, many of whom are victims of child labour. The growth of the informal economy has led to declining tax revenues and greater poverty and insecurity for workers.


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