Motherhood and work

For many bright and impassioned women, the dream of putting their skills to use remains unfulfilled. Pakistan’s women labour force participation is among the world’s lowest (24.4 per cent). According to a 2023 study, about 70 per cent of women engineering graduates residing within Pakistan are either unemployed or out of the labour force. Many people here are also of the view that, while women’s participation in higher education is increasing, there is no corresponding effect of it in the workforce. In recent years, while many voices have come forward to encourage women’s participation in the workforce, no meaningful measures have been taken to build an inclusive work environment. Many women have to resign from their jobs after they embrace motherhood partly because they are the prime caregivers to their children. It is in this context that the recent ruling by the Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (FOSPAH) tries to provide some breathing space for women. In 2024, a woman was fired while she was on maternity leave. Almost a year and a half later, FOSPAH has termed her termination void and, in doing so, declared that ‘safe motherhood’ is a fundamental right, not a favour.

The ruling is indeed a positive step towards ensuring that workplaces here are mindful of women’s needs. But these judgments can only do enough. More than a legislation problem, Pakistan has an implementation problem, where duly passed laws collect dust while companies conveniently violate the rules and regulations with impunity. Unfortunately, there is no concept of work-life balance in Pakistani workplaces, with employers expecting employees to always be available. For women, motherhood is a challenging task, but what they are forced to overcome is long working hours, rigid schedules and almost non-existent childcare support. These conditions make women resign from their jobs not out of choice but because the places they work at are designed to be discriminatory against them. Women should not be made to choose between career and motherhood.

Beyond this ruling, the government also has to ensure that all workplaces have childcare support for their employees. Besides this, flexible timing or a hybrid work model should be offered to women so that they can take care of their children and perform their work obligations. Our unsatisfactory women’s labour participation rate should serve as the motivator we need to introduce women-specific work reforms. With empowered women in the workforce, Pakistan will also be at a position to withstand economic shocks. It is a shame that we continue to ignore our talented and skilled workers over issues that could easily be resolved. For employers, this is the moment for some soul-searching and for pledging to make an inclusive workplace where women are respected and celebrated and their personal milestones are not seen as a barrier to their career growth.