AIOU Organizes Seminar on “Care Economy and Its Relevance to Pakistani Women’s Lives”

WNAM REPORT: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) organized an important seminar yesterday on “The Care Economy and Its Relevance to Pakistani Women’s Lives.” The event focused on the role of women in the care sector and its economic and social impacts.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Shahla Tabasum, Head of the Gender Studies Department at Fatima Jinnah Women University, delivered a detailed discussion on the concept of the care economy. She highlighted unpaid domestic labor, childcare, elderly care, and healthcare services as integral yet unrecognized components of economic structures. Dr. Tabasum emphasized that traditional economic systems fail to acknowledge women’s unpaid labor, resulting in the undervaluation of their contributions. She called for policy reforms to formally recognize the care sector and ensure women receive economic benefits for their work.
Dr. Tabasum further pointed out that existing office and economic systems are designed primarily for men, overlooking the responsibilities of women. She suggested that workplaces and policies should be reshaped to accommodate family-oriented needs, enabling working women to balance their professional and domestic responsibilities. A more inclusive system should provide flexible workplaces, childcare facilities, and a supportive environment, ensuring equal economic and social opportunities for women.
The seminar gathered academics, researchers, students, and social activists, who engaged in discussions on women’s economic empowerment, gender equality, and policy-making. Participants unanimously agreed on the need for practical measures at both societal and governmental levels to recognize and strengthen women’s role in the care sector.
AIOU reaffirmed its commitment to fostering academic discussions on gender and economic justice, aiming to strengthen the principles of equality and economic fairness.