CIWCE
Gender Issues

Gender Issues at Workplace


It is a well established fact that women workers are a major contributor in the economic growth of any country. Their participation in the economic activities is essential for their own self reliance and the well-being of their families. Today the rate of participation of women in the formal sector of labour market is very low in Pakistan. Women’s employment is integral to gender equality, poverty eradication and sustainable development. A society cannot progress economically, politically or socially without participation of women. We are  wasting enormous human resource potential by not making women a partner in the economic progress of the country. There are cultural and historical obstacles which will have to overcome in order to emancipate the women. The traditions of our society still reflect the life in old rural society, where work by women was frowned upon and still their work is not recognized. They rarely get paid for their toils.

We must acknowledge that the present indicators of women’s empowerment in Pakistan are not very encouraging. In the Human Development Report of 2005 Pakistan stands 107/140 in the Gender-related Development Index.  On the Gender Empowerment Measure ranking, Pakistan is placed at 71/80, and on the Female Economic Activity Index Pakistan ranked 129/177.  Women’s literacy rates are low (45%), maternal mortality rates are high (350 per 100,000 live births nationally Women’s reported share of national income is less than 20% The official unemployment rate for women (17.3%) is nearly three times that for men (6.1%)

The low participation rate of women in the formal labour force in Pakistan does not mean that they are excluded from work. In fact large number of women work at their homes, family businesses, informal sector and in the agricultural farms. Lack of education and common gender stereotypes prevailing in our male dominated society have consigned women to less desirable jobs. Lot of work done by women is hidden and un-recognized.

The globalisation of world trade has brought feminisation of the workforce in Pakistan, as the industries which have seen expansion in the recent years like garment manufacturing sectors employ large number of women workers. This has brought about a positive trend in the workplace in the shape of better remuneration and increased recognition of the contribution of women workers in the development of national economy.


Role of Labour Inspectors in addressing gender Concerns

Labour inspectors supervise the compliance with all legal provisions for the protection of workers. This is done by regular inspections of workplaces in industry and commerce. . This service should cooperate with employers’ and workers’ organizations and should be composed of sufficient qualified staff, including an adequate proportion of women.

Labour inspectors must have the power to enter freely any workplace at any time, interview employers and workers, examine documentation and take samples, order the modification of existing defects or the stoppage of machines or work, and give warnings and advice on proceedings.

The labour inspection service should play an important role in preventing and eliminating discriminatory practices in the workplace. Specifically, it should be ensured that:

  • Labour inspectors be provided access to the workplace and be freely able to maintain communication with management, as well as with employees of both sexes, if necessary also in the absence of management representatives.
  • Labour inspectors address workers’ education programmes and training courses on all aspects of their duties, and particularly those which involve the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of equal employment opportunities.
  • Workers be encouraged to contact the labour inspection service for information and explanations on labour law, when problems arise concerning discriminatory practices in employment.
  • Labour inspectors be informed and trained on all aspects of policies and procedures concerning equal employment opportunities and non-discriminatory treatment, including sexual harassment.
  • Labour inspectors be recruited from both sexes, be aware of the importance of promoting equality and understand how this relates to their work; if necessary, women inspectons should be in charge of special women’s issues
  • Records of discriminatory practices in the workplace and measures or notices of redress be included in labour inspection reports.


Making work safer for  women workers through inspection

While the job provides both income and personal satisfaction, it may also pose hazards and risks to health and safety. The ILO estimates that each year about 2.3 million men and women die from work-related accidents and diseases, including close to 360,000 fatal accidents and an estimated 1.95 million fatal work-related diseases.1 Hazardous substances cause an estimated 651,000 deaths, mostly in the developing world. These numbers may be greatly underestimated due to the inadequate reporting and notification systems in many countries.

The risks to men workers are better known given that occupational safety and health considerations had previously focused on dangerous jobs, in sectors dominated by male workers. Today, however, women represent over 40 percent of the global workforce, or 1.2 billion out of the global total of 3 billion workers. This increasing proportion of women in the workforce has lead to a range of gender-related questions about the different effects of work-related risks on men and women, in terms of exposure to hazardous substances, or the impact of biological agents on reproductive health, the physical demands of heavy work, the ergonomic design of workplaces and the length of the working day, especially when domestic duties also have to be taken into account. Moreover, occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards affecting women workers have been traditionally under-estimated because OSH standards and exposure limits to hazardous substances are based on male populations and laboratory tests.

More men than women work in jobs that expose them to accidents; they are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents and other work-related deaths.7 Men also tend to be more exposed to hazards caused by substances that are carcinogenic or may cause circulatory and respiratory disease. Researchers have also noted that men tend to adopt less preventive and protective ways of carrying out work than women.

Numerous male dominated sectors of industry have specific OSH considerations. For example, forestry, the iron, steel and non-ferrous metals industries, the transport sector (road, maritime and aviation), each have their own sets of hazards and OSH specificities. Three hazardous sectors are featured below:

According to ILO estimates, some 170,000 agricultural workers are killed every year. Mortality rates have remained consistently high over the past decade. While agriculture employs both women and men, machines, tractors and harvesters account for the highest rates of injury and death, usually involving more men.

  • Construction work is one of the most dangerous occupations, and yet the causes of accidents are well known and the vast majority are preventable. While the global number of accidents and diseases in the construction industry is difficult to quantify due to the high proportion of temporary workers, the ILO estimates there were some 60,000 work related fatalities in this industry during 2003. Data from a number of industrialized countries show that construction workers are three to four times more likely than other workers to die from accidents at work. Many more suffer from occupational diseases arising from prolonged exposure to dangerous substances, such as asbestos. In the developing countries, the risks associated with construction work are even higher. Available data suggests that the risk of accidents is three to six times greater than in developed countries where many precautionary measures are mandatory and enterprise liability in case of accidents is higher.


OSH hazards faced by women

OSH concerns for women are very much associated with their dual reproductive and economic role. Traditionally women and men have assumed different responsibilities in the home sphere. With more women entering the labour force, they may carry out paid work and continue with their unpaid work of caring for the family and doing household chores. Adding these two together, many women work longer hours than men.12 Specific hazards and risks women face are associated with the working conditions of the economic sectors in which they are active.

In agriculture the share of women is globally 35.4 per cent of the workforce; in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia the agricultural sector makes up more than 60 per cent of all female employment.13 Women in agriculture, whether in subsistence farming, self-employed, working as unpaid family members or as wage earners have a high incidence of injuries and diseases. Exposure to pesticides and mixing or applying harmful other agro-chemicals constitutes one of the principal occupational risks, with poisoning leading to illness or death. Other hazards are inherent in animal handling, and contact with dangerous plants and biological agents which give rise to allergies, respiratory  disorders, infections and parasitic diseases. Noise-induced hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders, such as repetitive stress injuries and back pain, as well as stress and psychological disorders are also frequent. The situation is particularly evident for women in developing countries where education and training on safety systems (including the use of personal protective equipment) and risk assessment are inadequate to prevent injury and illness. Some women are concentrated as unskilled workers in greenhouses where they risk greater exposure to pesticides and other hazardous chemicals. For pregnant women, such exposure can carry long-term health implications on themselves and their unborn babies. This situation is compounded with an insufficient access to health services in rural areas, so accidents may lead to permanent conditions.

In manufacturing, women factory workers in export-processing zones (where they are the majority) endure long hours at non-ergonomic work-stations and may often work with machinery without basic protection. Industrial machinery is generally designed for men and is often awkward and tiring for women (and small men) to operate. In microelectronics, another industry where women predominate, they are exposed to chemicals that can have carcinogenic effects.23 In services and in office jobs – representing 46.3 per cent of female employment in 2008 – different psychological and physical stressors and ergonomic hazards can lead to occupational health problems and add to the workload, cause job dissatisfaction and affect health and productivity. In health services, workers are exposed to infections, violence, musculoskeletal injuries and burnout.

In general, women are more exposed than men to psychosocial risks at work.  More women than men face discrimination and sexual harassment at the workplace, especially if they enter occupations that are traditionally dominated by men. A young woman with a precarious job in the hotel industry, for instance, is much more likely to be exposed to the risk of sexual harassment than a mature male office worker with a permanent job.


Violence at Work

Sex-based violence at work is a very complex issue, rooted in gendered power relations in the society, the economy, the labour market, the employment relationship and organizational culture. Violence at work, including bullying and mobbing, is on the rise worldwide. Young males in many societies are reported to be disproportionately affected by physical violence, as they are often the main perpetrators and victims of violence at the same time. As women – especially young women – increasingly enter the workforce and move beyond the home, increased attention must be paid to workplace violence in order to preserve their freedom, equity, security and human dignity. There is a close connection between violence at work and precarious work, gender, youth, and certain high-risk occupational sectors.

Professions once regarded as sheltered from workplace violence such as teaching, social services, and health care are becoming increasingly exposed to acts of violence in both developed and developing countries. Women are at high risk of violent behaviour in the workplace precisely because they are concentrated in many of these occupations. Violence in the retail sector is increasing in some countries, and represents a high proportion of incidents. Domestic workers are also frequently and disproportionately affected by violence. Workplace actions to combat gender-based violence may include: regulations and disciplinary measures; policy interventions against violence; disseminating information about positive examples of innovative legislation, guidance and practice; workplace designs that may reduce risks; collective agreements; awareness raising and training for managers, workers and government officials dealing with or exposed to violence at work; designing and putting in place procedures to improve the reporting of violent incidents in conditions of safety and confidentiality.

It is a well established fact that women workers are a major contributor in the economic growth of any country. Their participation in the economic activities is essential for their own self reliance and the well-being of their families. Today the rate of participation of women in the formal sector of labour market is very low in Pakistan. Women’s employment is integral to gender equality, poverty eradication and sustainable development. A society cannot progress economically, politically or socially without participation of women. We are  wasting enormous human resource potential by not making women a partner in the economic progress of the country. There are cultural and historical obstacles which will have to overcome in order to emancipate the women. The traditions of our society still reflect the life in old rural society, where work by women was frowned upon and still their work is not recognized. They rarely get paid for their toils.

We must acknowledge that the present indicators of women’s empowerment in Pakistan are not very encouraging. In the Human Development Report of 2005 Pakistan stands 107/140 in the Gender-related Development Index.  On the Gender Empowerment Measure ranking, Pakistan is placed at 71/80, and on the Female Economic Activity Index Pakistan ranked 129/177.  Women’s literacy rates are low (45%), maternal mortality rates are high (350 per 100,000 live births nationally Women’s reported share of national income is less than 20% The official unemployment rate for women (17.3%) is nearly three times that for men (6.1%)

The low participation rate of women in the formal labour force in Pakistan does not mean that they are excluded from work. In fact large number of women work at their homes, family businesses, informal sector and in the agricultural farms. Lack of education and common gender stereotypes prevailing in our male dominated society have consigned women to less desirable jobs. Lot of work done by women is hidden and un-recognized.

The globalization of world trade has brought feminization of the workforce in Pakistan, as the industries which have seen expansion in the recent years like garment manufacturing sectors employ large number of women workers. This has brought about a positive trend in the workplace in the shape of better remuneration and increased recognition of the contribution of women workers in the development of national economy.


Publications of CIWCE on Gender Issues


Interactive programme