Sindh’s first province-wide gender equality report highlights progress in health, employment and political participation while exposing persistent gaps in girls’ education and women’s access to justice and economic opportunities.
Sindh’s first province-wide gender equality report has highlighted progress in maternal health, women’s employment and political participation while revealing significant gaps in education, law enforcement, justice, economic opportunities and digital access.
According to the report released by the Sindh government, more than 4.08 million girls aged 5 to 16 remain out of school across the province. Female literacy also continues to lag significantly behind male literacy.
The report puts the literacy rate at 68% among men compared with 47% among women. The gap is particularly pronounced in rural areas, where female literacy stands at just 27.52%.
Women also remain underrepresented in several key public institutions. According to the report, women account for only 4.34% of Sindh’s police force. Their representation is 18.3% among prosecutors and 13.7% among judges.
The report recorded 3,085 reported cases of gender-based violence in 2024, highlighting the need for stronger protection mechanisms and improved access to justice for women.
Despite these challenges, the report identified progress in maternal health. Sindh’s maternal mortality ratio declined from 314 to 224 deaths per 100,000 live births. The provincial government has also increased health spending in recent years.
Women’s political participation has also expanded. The number of registered female voters has surpassed 12 million, while the number of women contesting elections increased from 23 in 2018 to 53 in 2024.
The report also noted an increase in women’s participation in the labour force. Female labour-force participation rose from 43.8% to 46.2%, while the number of employed women increased from 2.48 million to 3.32 million.
However, the report identified several barriers to women’s economic empowerment, including limited digital connectivity, financial inclusion, skills development, entrepreneurship opportunities and access to decent employment.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed provincial departments to introduce targeted reforms based on the report’s findings. He said the report would help identify areas requiring urgent attention while supporting evidence-based planning and institutional reforms.
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