Pakistan ranked fourth among worst countries for women: report

By
Web Desk
|

Pakistan has been ranked the fourth worst country in terms of women’s peace, security, inclusion and justice, according to recently released rankings of the Women, Peace and Security Index.

The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, in its index, has placed Pakistan at 150th among 153 countries ranked for women's inclusion, justice and security, with the highest discrimination against women in the world and the lowest financial inclusion.

Women's average years of schooling in the country stands at only five years, while only 33 percent of Pakistani women have been found to use mobile phones. Only 24 percent of women in Pakistan are employed, while their share of seats in parliament stands at only 20 percent.

1.09 males are born for every female born in Pakistan, which is higher than the 1.05 natural demographic rate, meaning that Pakistanis have a son bias, claims the study, conducted in partnership with the Peace Research Institute of Oslo.

It also identifies around 500,000 "missing girls" in Pakistan between 2010-15, which indicates that half a million more female children should have been born in the country during the period were it not for the son-bias.

The report also states that 73 percent of Pakistani men do not find it perfectly acceptable for women in their family to work outside their homes.

About 27 percent women in the country suffer lifetime intimate partner violence or domestic violence and their perception of community safety stands at 51 percent.

According to the index, only Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen are worse for women.

Iceland has been ranked as the best country for women with an average index rating of 0.886, followed by Norway and Switzerland with 0.879 and 0.871 rating, respectively.

India stands at 131st on the index, while United States is at 22nd and United Kingdom at 12th.