• Overall female literacy stands at 47pc, only 27.52pc for rural women
•
asserted
literacy → stand → women
Over 4.08m girls between five and 16 remain out of school
•
asserted
girls → remain → school
Maternal mortality falls to 224 per 100,000 births
•
asserted
mortality → fall → births
Number of women contesting general elections rises from 23 in 2018 to 53 in 2024
KARACHI:
asserted
Number → contest → 2024
The Sindh government on Friday unveiled its first-ever Gender Parity Report, a landmark assessment of gender equality across the province.
asserted
government → unveil → province
While highlighting notable gains in maternal health, female employment and political participation, the report identifies persistent gender gaps in literacy, school enrolment, workforce representation, digital access and decision-making roles.
asserted
report → highlight → literacy
The report, presented to the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah by Special Assistant to CM (SACM) on Human Rights Rajvir Singh Sodho here at the CM House, provides the first comprehensive provincial baseline on gender disparities and progress across key sectors, including health, education, justice, governance, economic participation and demographics, said a press release issued by the CM House.
asserted
release → present → House
According to the report, Sindh’s population reached 55.69 million in 2023, growing at an annual rate of 2.57 per cent, with a sex ratio of 108.76 males for every 100 females.
uncertain
population → accord → females
The report records steady progress in the health sector, where public allocations increased from Rs214.5 billion in 2023-24 to Rs267.54bn in 2024-25 and are projected to rise further to Rs318.22bn in 2025-26.
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allocations → record → 2025
Maternal mortality declined significantly from 314 to 224 deaths per 100,000 live births, while neonatal mortality stood at 24 deaths per 1,000 live births.
asserted
mortality → decline → births
Despite these gains, education sector remains one of the province’s most significant challenges.
asserted
sector → remain → challenges
The report shows male literacy at 68 per cent compared to 47pc among females, while literacy among rural women remains critically low at 27.52pc.
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literacy → show → 27.52pc
More than 4.08m girls between the ages of five and 16 remain out of school, underscoring the need for urgent and sustained action.
asserted
girls → remain → action
In the justice sector, women continue to be underrepresented, accounting for only 4.34pc of the police force, 18.3pc of prosecutors and 13.7pc of judges.
asserted
women → continue → judges
The report also documented 3,085 reported cases of gender-based violence during 2024, highlighting the need for stronger protection mechanisms and improved access to justice.
asserted
report → document → justice
The report also highlights encouraging trends in governance, political participation and economic inclusion.
asserted
report → highlight → governance
Women’s voter registration exceeded 12m, while the number of women contesting general elections increased from 23 in 2018 to 53 in 2024.
asserted
number → exceed → 2024
While female employment increased from 2.48m to 3.32m, the report notes that barriers related to digital connectivity, financial inclusion, skills development, entrepreneurship and access to decent work continue to limit women’s full economic participation.
asserted
barriers → increase → participation
The report concludes that while Sindh has achieved measurable progress in several sectors, sustained reforms, stronger institutions, improved district-level data systems and focused investments will be essential to achieving inclusive, equitable and gender-responsive development throughout the province.
asserted
reforms → conclude → province
Murad calls for targeted reforms
The CM directed all provincial departments to undertake targeted reforms, strengthen gender-responsive governance and improve access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities and representation for women and girls.
asserted
CM → call → women
He described the report as a critical policy tool that would guide evidence-based planning, resource allocation and institutional reforms aimed at advancing gender equality across Sindh.
asserted
that → describe → Sindh
“Gender equality is not only a matter of social justice but also a prerequisite for sustainable development,” Mr Shah said.
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Shah → say → development
“The report gives us a clear understanding of where progress has been achieved and where urgent interventions are required.
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interventions → give → understanding
We will use these findings to strengthen policies and programmes that empower women and girls across the province.”
asserted
that → use → province
Reaffirming the Pakistan Peoples Party’s long-standing commitment to women’s empowerment, Mr Shah paid tribute to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, describing her as a global symbol of courage, democratic values and gender equality.
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Shah → reaffirm → courage
“Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto dedicated her political struggle to the empowerment of women, the protection of fundamental rights and the creation of equal opportunities for all citizens.
asserted
Bhutto → dedicate → citizens
Her vision continues to guide our efforts to build a more inclusive and equitable Sindh,” he said.
asserted
he → continue → Sindh
The CM instructed departments to strengthen gender-disaggregated data systems, improve monitoring mechanisms, enhance coordination among institutions and ensure that women’s needs and perspectives are integrated into planning and budgeting processes.
asserted
needs → instruct → processes
He said the Sindh government remained committed to removing these barriers through targeted investments, institutional reforms and gender-responsive development planning.
asserted
government → say → investments
“Our goal is to create a Sindh where every woman and girl has equal opportunities to learn, work, lead and contribute to society.
asserted
woman → create → society
The findings of this report will help us accelerate that journey and ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.
asserted
he → help → journey
Presenting the report, Mr Sodho described it as a milestone achievement for Sindh’s human rights framework and a foundation for gender-responsive policymaking.
asserted
Sodho → present → policymaking
“This is the first comprehensive provincial assessment that consolidates gender-related indicators from multiple sectors into a single analytical framework.
asserted
that → consolidate → framework
It provides policymakers with reliable evidence to identify gaps, track progress and formulate targeted interventions,” he said.
asserted
he → provide → interventions
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