Two ground breaking studies,”Provincial Transfer Accounts -Generational Economy in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan” and “Making Women’s Work Count in Pakistan,” provide profound insights into Pakistan’s economic fabric, unveiling the underappreciated roles of women in the economy and the intricate dynamics of intergenerational wealth transfers across the provinces.
The studies carried out by Pakistan Institude of Developemnt Economics and (PIDE) and UN Population Fund (UNFPA) were launched in a ceremony on Thursday. In a comprehensive study, Pakistani women’s often invisible economic contributions have been highlighted. Utilizing the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) methodology, the study delves into income, consumption, and lifecycle deficits across genders, revealing critical disparities and untapped potential.
While addressing the launching ceremony the Federal Minister for Planning and Development and Special Initiatives (PD& SI) said that we are a populous country and there is a large segment of young population, any research that analyses the inter generational dynamics and computes the unpaid work that women contribute is very useful. “I am glad to know that we are first in the region to do this kind if research. I would like to congratulate UNFPA and PIDE” he added.
Speaking at the occasion Dr. Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA Representative said this research is an important piece of work which signifies that we are moving from demographic anxiety to demographic resilience where we understand the demographic shifts and appropriate policies to accommodate these shifts. In addition, these researches link population changes with the economy and analyze how changes in the ages and distribution of workload between men and women may affect the account.
Dr. Durr-e-Nayab, Director of Research at PIDE presented the study findings. The study found that in Pakistan, men typically commence their working lives at the age of 10 and reach the peak of their earnings by the age of 49.
However, their consumption frequently eclipses their income during both early and later years, a gap often compensated for by other household members who possess a surplus. In stark contrast, women consistently experience a trend where their consumption surpasses their income at all ages, primarily due to their limited participation in the labor force.
