University of Wah organized a hybrid workshop titled “Invisible but Indispensable: Recognizing Women’s Unpaid Work in Pakistan’s Economy” on 30 October 2026. The workshop aimed to highlight women’s often-overlooked contributions to the national economy and promote recognition of unpaid care work and women’s economic empowerment.
The workshop, organized under the auspices of the Women Development Department (WDD), Government of Punjab, in collaboration with the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC), Young Peace and Development Corps (YPDC), and Women Empowerment and Mentoring Program (WEMP), was attended by approximately 200 participants from academic institutions and diverse professional backgrounds.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonia Omer, Department of Social Work, University of the Punjab, was the guest speaker. She talked about women's contributions to household management, childcare, agriculture, livestock management, and unpaid family labour, emphasizing that these essential economic activities often remain unrecognized. She also discussed challenges including time poverty, gender inequality, limited labour protections, and inadequate social security, which restrict women's economic participation and independence.
The discussion highlighted the need for gender-responsive economic policies, stronger labour protections, and institutional recognition of unpaid care work. The workshop provided a platform for dialogue on women's economic empowerment and emphasized the importance of collaboration among academic institutions, government departments, and civil society organizations in promoting gender equality and inclusive development.
