Pakistan’s economy cannot grow while women remain unsafe, excluded

No economy can grow while half its population remains unsafe, unseen, or silenced. Women's protection is not just a moral or legal concern; it is an economic necessity. Pakistan's ongoing challenge in ensuring women's dignity translates directly into lost productivity, declining labour force participation, and weakened competitiveness. The Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, was Pakistan's first national effort to create safer workplaces, requiring organisations to adopt codes of conduct and inquiry committees. The Act defined harassment narrowly, focusing primarily on sexual misconduct in formal workplace settings. The 2022 Amendment slightly expanded coverage to include freelancers, domestic workers, virtual spaces, and gender discrimination.