Connect with us

Business

Unemployed and out of options, Pakistani women turn to social media to earn

Published

on

A growing number of women, excluded for formal sector, are turning to informal online commerce to earn money


Hailing from a remote village in Punjab’s Mianwali district, Khadjia Malik had only one dream that kept her going through difficult times: to see her four children receive a good education.

The 43-year-old mother was married to a sailor when she was just 18. After marriage, Khadija found work at a clothing factory in Islamabad to earn enough to feed her children. But then in 2020, she lost her job.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns, the company she worked for had to cut back costs and as a result sacked many workers.

Out of work and with no other options, Khadija took to taking stitching orders at home. But that was not enough to meet her families daily expenses.

— Geo.tv
— Geo.tv

One day, after finishing an applique order for her neighbour, Khadija used the Rs2,000 she had saved to buy three towels, some cloth and a quilt from a local wholesale market.

She embroidered the towels and the quilt and made two separate cushions and pillows. The next day, she decided to have her hand-embroidered products dry cleaned. She was holding onto the bag as she waited outside the school to pick up her children, when a friend noticed. She asked Khadija if she can take the bag home to copy the designs. Khadija agreed.

Soon the word spread. People in the neighbourhood began calling her to ask if she was selling the bedsheets and cushions. She sold them for Rs700 each and made Rs2,100 that day.

Khadija is among those 7.3 million people who lost their jobs during a lockdown in Pakistan between April to June 2020, as per the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Of the 7.3 million, 74% were women working in the informal sector.

When a women loses her job, it affects the entire family, as 46% of low income households in Pakistan rely on the earnings of the women.

The Lahore-based Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS), found that only 71% of the women who responded to its survey were concerned about being infected by the deadly coronavirus. The rest feared losing their jobs more.

The World Bank in its report released in 2021 presents an even bleaker picture. As per the report, the post-pandemic recovery for males is faster than women, adding that this could lead to a further decline in women’s participation in the country’s economy.

While Khadija Malik was able to quickly bounce back and set up a small business after being unemployed, Ghania Arsalan didn’t have it so easy.

— Geo.tv
— Geo.tv

She had given birth to her fourth child during the pandemic in 2020. At the same time, she lost her job as a teacher at a local school in Karachi. Ghania struggled financially for six months, unsure how she would feed her children, until a friend at a wedding helped her get back on her feet.

“The friend gave me her stock of makeup and jewelry to sell,” Ghania tells Geo.tv, asking her to return the money after keeping a profit.

To promote her business, the mother of four turned to social media, posting ads on women-only groups on Facebook and WhatsApp. After roaring success, Ghania has now expanded her business and also sells clothes, sandals, purses and other household items.

“After the ban on imported luxurious goods, more and more people are turning towards online sellers for low-cost alternatives,” she said, “I now have loyal customers all over Pakistan.”

A growing number of women, excluded for the formal sector, are turning to informal online commerce to earn money.

In 2022, Nuzhat Kamran, 29, enrolled herself in baking classes. Then, she set up an Instagram account to promote her baked goods. “People loved the pictures of my cakes and kept asking me for orders,” she said.

The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a global partnership of more than 30 leading development organisations that works to advance the lives of poor people, especially women, through financial inclusion, has found that women are heavily involved in informal e-commerce.

“This type of e-commerce often enhances women’s livelihoods while deepening their use of digital and financial services, such as mobile wallets and online banking,” it notes in a recent report.

— Geo.tv
— Geo.tv

Ultimately, the study found that informal e-commerce could be the path to financial inclusion and economic independence for women in Pakistan and other countries.

But there are drawbacks to e-commerce as well, explains Zunaira Shah, a research consultant for CGAP in Pakistan.

“Most informal e-commerce businesses in Pakistan are gendered in that they deal with traditionally feminized skills and products,” she told Geo.tv, “These women-dominated businesses are often undervalued and trivialised, which makes it harder for women to raise investments and be recognised as ‘real’ business owners.”

There is also a risk that home-based, informal work could reinforce patriarchal norms by restricting a woman’s mobility wrote Shah, in a research paper.

There are no exact numbers of how many women work in the informal sector, neither are there any on how much their contribute to the economy. Even though more and more women are turning to the informal sector to support themselves.

Khadija, Ghania and Nuzhat are just some examples of women who refuse to return to a daily 9am to 5pm job. For these women, by staying at home, they can save up on the cost of commute and baby-sitting. None of which is provided to working women in the formal sector. Not only that, these women can now work on their own terms.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

Changes in the US dollar’s value are directly correlated with variations in gold prices.

Published

on

By

The price of 24-karat gold in Pakistan increased by Rs1500 on Thursday, reaching Rs231,000 per tola. This was another jump in the price of gold in the country.

Dealers reported a comparable surge in the price of 10 grams of 24-karat gold, which is currently trading at Rs198,045 after rising by Rs1285. In addition, the cost of ten grams of 22-karat gold increased significantly, trading at Rs 181,541.

These fluctuations are strongly correlated with shifts in the US dollar’s value, demonstrating the tight connection between gold prices and exchange rates. This emphasizes how local gold markets are impacted by variables related to the global economy.

At Rs2,580, the price of 24-karat silver remains steady right now. The price of gold increased significantly on a global scale as well, rising by $14 to $2,214 per ounce.

It’s critical to understand that changes in the worldwide market can have a substantial impact on gold prices in Pakistan throughout the day. The gold rates that are offered are obtained from reliable sources, mostly situated in Karachi and Multan.

It is recommended that individuals seek the advice of nearby gold merchants and jewellers for the most precise and current information regarding gold prices.

Continue Reading

Business

Pakistan pledged to finish building the TAPI gas pipeline.

Published

on

By

The minister discussed the importance of the TAPI gas pipeline project for Pakistan’s energy needs during a meeting with Turkmenistan’s ambassador to Pakistan, Atadjan Movlamov.

The Minister was congratulated by Ambassador Movlamov on taking office and his commitment to the project was noted.

Dr. Musadik Malik thanked the ambassador for his kind words, acknowledged the support, and promised to maintain the two nations’ friendship. The intergovernmental commission and working group meetings for the project this year were briefed by Atadjan Movlamov.

He invited the Minister to attend the Turkmenistan Energy Forum, which would take place in Paris the following month.

TAPI undertaking
The project is for the construction of a 1,680-kilometer pipeline with a 56-inch diameter that can carry 3.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan to the border between Pakistan and India.

According to the terms of the TAPI agreement, Afghanistan would receive its portion of 0.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day, while Pakistan and India will each receive 1.325 billion cubic feet of gas per day.

In order to carry out the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, Pakistan and Turkmenistan inked a cooperative implementation plan in Islamabad on June 4.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a delegation from Turkmenistan, led by Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma’a, were present at the ceremony.

Continue Reading

Business

The price of gold is still rising in Pakistan.

Published

on

By

According to the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association, the cost of 10 grams of 24 karat gold grew by Rs. 86 to Rs. 196,760 from Rs. 196,674, while the cost of 10 grams of 22 carat gold jumped to Rs. 180,363 from Rs. 180,284.

The price of silver per tola and ten grams stayed at Rs. 2,211.93 and Rs. 2,580, respectively.

According to the Association, the price of gold on the global market rose by $7 to $2,200 from $.2,193.

It is important to note that Pakistani and IMF personnel have agreed at the staff level on the second and final review conducted as part of Pakistan’s Stand-By arrangement.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan have reached a staff-level agreement on the second and final review of Pakistan’s stabilization program, which is supported by the IMF’s US$3 billion (SDR2,250 million) SBA Agreement. This is according to the official statement released by a team led by Nathan Porter.

Continue Reading

Trending