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Paper short abstract

This paper examines the determinants of employment among ever-married women in Pakistan and the role of technology. Socio-economic factors support women’s employment, while restrictive cultural norms exist, with technology expanding opportunities for income generation.

Paper long abstract

The aim of this paper is to identify the determinants of employment of ever-married women in Pakistan and to examine the moderating effect of Technology, using the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2017–18. The determinants of women’s employment are divided into three segments: (1) demographic and socio-economic factors, (2) cultural norms, beliefs, and attitudes, and (3) access to institutions (credit and health). The moderating effect of Technology is determined by creating interaction terms with these determinants. The research is carried out using women’s observations (n = 15,068) drawn from the women’s questionnaire of DHS 2017–18. Empirical results suggest that demographic and socio-economic factors have a positive and significant impact on women’s employment, both with and without the inclusion of Technology. However, cultural beliefs and attitudes continue to inhibit women’s employment even when technological advancement is introduced into the model. Women’s access to financial institutions, when combined with the use of Technology, makes them more capable of engaging in income-generating activities, whereas access to health institutions adversely affects women’s employment. These findings reflect the traditional, cultural, and social factors prevalent in Pakistan’s patriarchal society, where women face restricted mobility and limited access to economic resources. Nonetheless, the use of information and communication technologies has opened innovative opportunities for women, contributing to their wellbeing and enhanced status in society. Based on the findings, the paper proposes key policy recommendations and future research directions to improve women’s decision-making power in employment and other life choices, despite persistent cultural and social barriers.