NCSW reaffirms commitment to accelerate progress on equal opportunities for women
ZUBAIR QURESHI
Islamabad
Chairperson, National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), Ms. Noureen Bano Lehri, has welcomed Pakistan’s five-place improvement in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026, describing it as an encouraging national achievement and a reflection of sustained collective efforts towards gender equality.
Pakistan has improved from 148th position in 2025 to 143rd position in 2026, while its overall gender parity score increased from 56.7% to 59.5%. Pakistan’s educational attainment parity reached 91.7%, while economic participation and opportunity remains an important area requiring accelerated action.
Ms. Noureen Bano Lehri (ChairPerson NCSW) said this is an encouraging moment for Pakistan and an opportunity to recognise the leadership, commitment and hard work behind this progress.
She particularly acknowledged former Interim Chairperson NCSW Ms. Ume Laila Azhar and former Secretary NCSW Ms. Humaira Zia Mufti, whose dedicated efforts and engagement across Pakistan and with national and international partners during the previous year strengthened the country’s gender equality agenda.
“I also commend the Members and entire NCSW team whose commitment carried this work forward.” said she in a statement.
Following Pakistan’s lowest ranking in the Global Gender Gap Index 2025, NCSW initiated an urgent and comprehensive process to identify and address gaps in gender-disaggregated data and reporting. For this purpose, the Commission constituted a National Gender Data Task Force and, on an emergency basis, undertook a nationwide data-collection exercise in coordination with all provinces and relevant departments and institutions, including Planning & Development Departments, Bureaus of Statistics, line departments and other data-generating organisations.
The Ministry of Human Rights and UN Partners also extended their support and cooperation to NCSW in this process.
Data from across Pakistan was collected, compiled, reviewed, standardised and analysed to strengthen the national evidence base on gender equality. The resulting data and analysis were subsequently reflected through national and provincial gender parity reporting, including the ICT Gender Parity Report, Provincial Gender Parity Reports and Provincial Gender Forums, and were shared with relevant Government stakeholders.
This coordinated effort significantly strengthened the availability, standardisation and visibility of gender-disaggregated data and provided a stronger evidence base for assessing Pakistan’s progress and identifying areas requiring further action on gender equality.
The Chairperson acknowledged the continued efforts of the Government of Pakistan and federal and provincial institutions towards women’s empowerment and gender equality.
“The five-place improvement in 2026 is encouraging and reinforces the importance of sustained, evidence-based efforts. NCSW will continue strengthening Pakistan’s gender-data ecosystem so that progress and remaining gaps are accurately identified.”
Chairperson further stated:
“This achievement is a national honour, and NCSW is proud to have contributed to this journey. For NCSW, five places are not the finish line. They are the beginning of a much greater commitment. Our target is to keep Pakistan moving forward until gender equality is reflected not only in international rankings, but in the everyday lives of Pakistani women and girls—in their opportunities, dignity, security, economic participation, education, decision-making and leadership.”
NCSW will continue to prioritise gender-disaggregated data, evidence-based policymaking, economic empowerment, education, political participation, leadership, legal protection and institutional accountability, while working with the Government of Pakistan, Parliament, provincial institutions, development partners, international organisations, UN Agencies, civil society, academia and the private sector.
“NCSW, hand in hand with its partners and stakeholders across Pakistan, stands fully committed to carrying this responsibility forward for every woman and girl of Pakistan.”
