All publications: Pakistan

Project report

Better Work Pakistan Synthesis Report: An Industry and Compliance Review (2022-2025)

Better Work operates at multiple levels, including with production enterprises, international brands, and sectoral and governmental stakeholders in several country programme contexts. The programme in Pakistan was established as a three-year pilot...

ILO Brief

Spillover effects of the Middle East crisis on jobs and livelihoods in Pakistan

Pakistan's labour market is highly exposed to the spillover effects of the Middle East crisis. This ILO brief examines how the crisis may affect employment and livelihoods through higher energy and fertilizer prices, labour migration, remittances...

Formalization and Decent Work

The national roadmap for SME and worker formalization

With a large share of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and workers operating outside formal systems, this roadmap outlines practical and coordinated actions to support the transition from the informal to the formal economy in Pakistan.

Social Protection

The future of social insurance in Viet Nam: Policy options and recommendations

Viet Nam is making bold progress toward universal social insurance, backed by strong policy reforms and expanding coverage. This report highlights strategic ILO recommendations to support the next phase of legal and structural transformation.

ADBI-OECD-ILO joint publication

Labor Migration in Asia: Fair recruitment, training, and development

This publication captures new and emerging trends in labour migration in Asia, with a focus on recruitment, training and development.

Wage protection

The gender pay gap in Pakistan: An empirical analysis and policy implications

An in-depth ILO report analysing the gender pay gap in Pakistan and proposing targeted policy actions to close it.

Research Report

Innovative approaches to formalization in Asia and the Pacific: Background report to ILO Asia and the Pacific Tripartite Regional Knowledge...

This report showcases a wide range of innovations that are taking place across Asia and the Pacific to tackle informality, ranging from state-of-the-art use of technology to facilitate formalization, to community-based approaches to protect workers...

Brief

Mind the gap: Why women in Pakistan earn less than men and what we can do about it

Despite global efforts, women in Pakistan still earn 25 per cent less per hour than men, with disparities widening for older and lower-income workers. This policy brief highlights key barriers, including discrimination, weak compliance with labour...

Study findings and recommendations

Mapping of the cotton supply chain at the community level in Pakistan: A report on selected districts in Punjab and Sindh Provinces

This reports seeks to better understand the status of fundamental principles and rights at work and the socio-economic context in the cotton producing communities in selected areas of Punjab and Sindh Provinces. Through evidencebased...

Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2024: Assessing Implementation of the Global Compact for Migration

The report highlights the realities of migrants in Asia and the Pacific and provides comprehensive recommendations to enhance migration governance to be more inclusive and gender-responsive.

Social protection

World social protection report 2024-26: Regional companion report for Asia and the Pacific

This Asia and the Pacific regional companion report complements the ILO’s World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition.

South Asia Qualifications Referencing Framework: Technical Meeting#3

Under the auspices of GOALS (Governance of Labour Migration in South and South East Asia) ILO is assisting South Asian member states, through a consultative process to develop and implement Regional Qualifications Framework. As part of this...

South Asia Qualifications Referencing Framework: Final Report

Under the auspices of GOALS (Governance of Labour Migration in South and Southeast Asia) ILO is assisting South Asian member states, through a consultative process to develop and implement Regional Qualifications Framework. This report is a...

Brief

Bridging the gaps

This policy brief summarizes insights from a study conducted across Pakistan for policymakers, practitioners and development partners. It highlights the obstacles encountered by both Afghan refugees and host communities within the construction...

Brief

Fabric of empowerment

This policy brief summarizes insights from a study conducted across Pakistan for policymakers, practitioners and development partners. It highlights the obstacles encountered by both Afghan refugees and host communities within the artisanal...

Brief

Cultivating Collaborations

This policy brief summarizes insights from a study conducted across Pakistan for policymakers, practitioners and development partners. It highlights the obstacles encountered by both Afghan refugees and host communities within the fruit and...

Livelihood Opportunities

Building inclusive markets for Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan

The study offers a comprehensive market systems analysis focused on three key sectors: construction, fruit and vegetable, and textile crafts. By examining these industries, the research highlights potential inclusive livelihood opportunities for...

APESO

Asia-Pacific Employment and Social Outlook 2024: Promoting decent work and social justice to manage ageing societies

This Asia-Pacific Employment and Social Outlook 2024 report pulls together the most recent statistics to depict the state of the labour market and its impact on the 3.4 billion people living in the region. Beyond past trends, the report examines the...

Informality

Mapping of barriers and opportunities to reduce the informality of enterprises in Pakistan

The study is an outcome of the partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), which provides an overview of the formal and informal business ecosystem in Pakistan....

Integrated approaches for formalization in Asia and the Pacific

This report highlights why the multi-faceted dimensions of informality demand an integrated approach to formalization, outlines the nature of an integrated approach to employment formalization, reviews the extent that countries in Asia and the...