June 13, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
In a shocking slide to the end, Pakistan now ranks 148th out of all 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Index 2025, showing that it ranks worst in gender parity worldwide. The report, which evaluates countries on gender-based disparities across economic participation, education, health, and political empowerment, highlights a concerning regression for Pakistan—especially in political representation and economic opportunity for women.
According to the WEF report, Pakistan’s overall gender parity score declined from 57% in 2024 to 56.7% in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of decline. The country had recorded its highest-ever parity score of 57.7% in 2023 but has been sliding since.
The data paints a stark picture of gender inequality in Pakistan, a country that has made only a marginal improvement of 2.3 percentage points since the index was first compiled in 2006.
Sudan ranks higher than Pakistan
Perhaps most damning is the fact that even Sudan, a country embroiled in civil conflict and institutional collapse, ranks higher than Pakistan. Sudan has managed to avoid the bottom slot, reflecting that even nations facing war and displacement have made more measurable progress in reducing gender gaps than Pakistan. Sudan was ranked 147 on the index above Pakistan, improving its previous year rank of 148.
Pakistan’s comparison to other South Asian countries
Pakistan’s dismal performance also stands in sharp contrast to its South Asian peers. India is ranked 129th, showing slight improvement from previous years, particularly in economic participation and political representation. India has increased its share of women in parliament and narrowed its gender pay gap slightly.
Bangladesh ranks at 99th, maintaining a relatively strong position due to sustained female political leadership and high levels of women’s participation in the informal economy. Despite challenges in labor force participation, Bangladesh continues to outperform regional peers in political empowerment.
Sri Lanka, once ahead of most of South Asia in gender metrics, now sits at 117th, a drop attributed to declining female labor force participation and stagnant representation in politics. Still, it remains well above Pakistan on all four subindices.
These comparisons are particularly damning considering Pakistan’s larger population, media visibility, and policy pledges around women’s empowerment.
Drop in economic participation
Pakistan saw an overall drop in Economic Participation and Opportunity, which fell by 1.3 percentage points this year. While female labour force participation remains critically low, what is more alarming is the widening income disparity and a +4 percentage point rise in perceived wage inequality since the previous year. Despite some efforts to increase female access to digital platforms and entrepreneurial tools, the gender gap in income remains stubbornly wide.
The only area where Pakistan saw a marginal improvement was Educational Attainment, which rose by 1.5 percentage points to 85.1%. However, this improvement is due not only to an increase in female literacy—from 46.5% to 48.5%—but also a decline in male enrolment, particularly in tertiary education. This means that while the relative parity figure improved, the absolute educational reach for both men and women has decreased.
No women ministers in federal cabinet
In the Political Empowerment category, Pakistan regressed from an already low 12.2% to 11% parity. Although female representation in the national parliament rose by 1.2 percentage points, the number of women in ministerial positions dropped to zero in 2025, down from 5.9% in 2024. This dramatic plunge has significantly pulled down Pakistan’s overall political empowerment score.
The WEF Gender Gap Index is widely regarded as a benchmark for national performance on equality. A persistent low ranking not only hurts Pakistan’s international image but also raises concerns for its development indicators, investor confidence, and societal well-being.
As the country gears up for upcoming policy debates on women’s rights, digital access, and constitutional reform, these findings provide a harsh, data-backed reality check.
Unless significant structural and cultural reforms are implemented—especially in political representation and workforce inclusion—Pakistan risks cementing its status as one of the most unequal countries for women in the world.