Over half of Pakistan’s population—around 51 percent—is female, yet women comprise less than a quarter of the country’s formal workforce. Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province and its educational and economic hub, epitomises this paradox. Each year, thousands of highly educated, skilled women graduate from universities across Punjab, yet shortly afterward, many disappear entirely from the job market.
Why does this happen? The answer is simpler—and more troubling—than most policymakers realise: these women do not really have a choice. They step aside often because affordable childcare remains out of reach in Pakistan.
Take a typical scenario: a bright young doctor graduates from a top Lahore medical school, begins practice, and then gets married. A year later, she has her first child. Suddenly, she’s at a crossroads: either stay home to provide full-time childcare or rely on unreliable, informal arrangements. More often than not, the former happens. This scenario repeats itself thousands of times as the turnover within the workforce remains highest for women professionals; women lost from the workforce signify lost human capital, wasted educational investment, and unrealised economic potential.
The economic toll of this silent outpouring is tremendous. By failing to retain highly educated women, Punjab is literally sidelining half of its intellectual and productive capacity. According to the World Bank, increasing women's labor participation to match men's could add billions to Pakistan’s GDP over the next decade. Sadly, our policymakers remain fixated on more visible infrastructure projects, neglecting the social infrastructure that enables women to stay in the workforce in the first place.
Establishing a robust daycare ecosystem in Punjab requires shifting our mindset: viewing childcare as vital economic infrastructure rather than a private burden
This oversight is doubly harmful because Punjab already faces economic stagnation, limited industrial diversification, and fiscal constraints driven by the IMF. The province cannot afford to lose skilled professionals, especially in sectors like healthcare, education, and financial services—fields dominated by female graduates yet struggling with severe shortages of qualified staff.
Fortunately, despite these challenges, community-led daycare centers have begun emerging in Lahore, offering working women practical childcare solutions. One such example is ACE Day Care in Lahore, a facility praised by gynecologists affiliated with Aga Khan Hospital for providing a structured, affordable, and extended-hours childcare model. Operating alongside an early education institute, ACE Day Care has demonstrated that it's possible to offer high-quality childcare that enables women professionals, particularly in education and healthcare, to return to work without compromising their children's well-being.
However, initiatives like these remain isolated examples rather than widely adopted models. Punjab urgently needs policy support to replicate and scale such successes province-wide. Other regions globally—such as Canada, Sweden, and increasingly South Korea—show how comprehensive, accessible childcare directly boosts female workforce participation, productivity, and overall economic stability. Punjab, with its dense urban centers and educated female demographic, is ideally suited to adopt a similar path.
Firstly, the provincial government must formally recognise daycare as an essential economic infrastructure, not charity. Instead of viewing childcare as a private family responsibility, the government should integrate daycare policy within broader economic and labor policy frameworks. Provincial budgets need dedicated allocations for childcare, especially in urban and industrial centers, with incentives for businesses and institutions that attach onsite daycare facilities to workplaces.
Secondly, public-private partnerships can rapidly expand daycare access. For example, provincial and municipal governments can partner with community NGOs, businesses, or universities that provide existing infrastructure, training, and oversight. Government incentives—such as tax breaks, operational subsidies, or low-cost financing—can encourage these partnerships. Notably, similar collaborations in Lahore have demonstrated viability, affordability, and community acceptance.
Thirdly, Punjab must rethink regulatory frameworks for daycare. Currently, informal childcare dominates because formal licensing is overly bureaucratic and costly. Simplifying onboarding processes, establishing clear childcare standards, and sensitising caregivers by providing accessible training programs would encourage more formal daycare providers, enhancing safety and reliability.
Lastly, embedding daycare within educational institutions can address dual challenges: keeping female educators employed and offering structured childcare in familiar settings. Schools, colleges, and universities employing large numbers of women are natural locations for integrated daycare programs, helping retain female teachers, professors, and administrative staff.
Some critics might argue that daycare initiatives are too expensive or culturally impractical. However, evidence from local models like ACE Day Care proves otherwise. Not only do structured, community-led daycares support women's employment, but they also create jobs, stimulate local economies, and enhance early childhood development outcomes—long-term investments Punjab desperately needs.
Ultimately, establishing a robust daycare ecosystem in Punjab requires shifting our mindset: viewing childcare as vital economic infrastructure rather than a private burden. This is not merely about equality—it’s about economic survival. By investing strategically in daycare access, Punjab can transform the narrative around women's employment, harness untapped human capital, and position itself for a more inclusive, sustainable economic future.
Women represent Punjab’s greatest untapped economic resource. It’s time the province builds the support systems that allow them to remain at work—systems that recognise childcare as foundational, not optional. Punjab’s economic future depends on it.