Sociodemographics of Formal and Informal Sector Women Workers of Pakistan and a Comparison of their Perceived and Practiced Autonomy

Abstract

The majority of Pakistani women are employed in the informal sector of the economy, devoid of protection, safety, and employment benefits, which prevents them from having autonomy. In this study, we aimed to identify (i) the differences in socio-demographic characteristics of formal versus informal sector women workers and (ii) compare the perceived and practised autonomy between the two groups. We used a convenience sample of 150 women, half each from the informal and formal sectors of the economy, specifically the teaching sector. We were able to find through mean analysis that women from the informal sector have higher autonomy. We also found that informal sector women workers in the country are impoverished, illiterate, non-Muslims, living in underdeveloped areas, and have no property ownership. There is a critical need to support policy for transfer to formal sector employment and to develop interventions to improve autonomy in working women.