What Holds Her Back, Holds Pakistan Back: Female Education, Barriers, and Economic Growth

Abstract

What limits girls’ education badly not only affects their future generations but also hinders the progress of their country as a whole. Hence, female education is a social as well as an economic issue. Pakistan ranks, at 148 out of 148 countries, on the Global Gender Gap Index representing the widen gender disparities. The literacy rate in Pakistan is 60 percent in total with 68 percent males and 52 percent females being literate. The purpose of this study is to determine the association between female education and economic development of Pakistan. This study aims to highlight the role of female literacy in Pakistan and how it could be instrumental in promoting sustainable and inclusive growth of the country. The paper undertakes a qualitative study using secondary data such as academic research, policy papers, government reports, Economic survey of Pakistan, reports by World Bank and UNESCO. The theoretical framework is provided by the Human Capital Theory, Gender Multiplier Effect, and Inclusive Growth Paradigm. The results demonstrate how female education promotes economic development through higher labor force participation, increased productivity, entrepreneurship, better health outcomes, and breaking the cycle of poverty. However these benefits are limited due to social-cultural factors, child marriages, child labor, financial problems, poor schools infrastructure, insecurity, and less implementation of policies. At the same time, the study suggest that the removal of these barriers through more investment in education, free education, provision of better education services, and creating job opportunities along with other measures will have an adverse effect on the economic development of Pakistan. The study concludes that the future economic prospects of Pakistan depend on the removal of these many barriers to female education. The barriers to female education if removed will contribute to Pakistan’s economy by enabling it to reach its economic potential through a broad-based and sustainable economic growth.