Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan
Pakistan: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 81.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan stood at 81.1%. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.0% on the previous year and up 24.6% over five years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan peaked at 81.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places Pakistan 160th out of 190 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | — |
| 1830 | 0.0% | — |
| 1835 | 0.0% | — |
| 1840 | 0.0% | — |
| 1845 | 0.0% | — |
| 1850 | 0.0% | — |
| 1855 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1875 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1885 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1890 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1895 | 0.1% | +20.0% |
| 1900 | 0.1% | +33.3% |
| 1905 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| 1910 | 0.1% | +27.3% |
| 1915 | 0.2% | +28.6% |
| 1920 | 0.2% | +33.3% |
| 1925 | 0.3% | +29.2% |
| 1930 | 0.4% | +29.0% |
| 1935 | 0.5% | +30.0% |
| 1940 | 0.7% | +28.8% |
| 1945 | 0.9% | +29.9% |
| 1950 | 1.1% | +28.7% |
| 1955 | 5.1% | +352.7% |
| 1960 | 9.0% | +77.5% |
| 1965 | 17.0% | +88.9% |
| 1970 | 17.0% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 21.6% | +27.3% |
| 1980 | 20.1% | -7.2% |
| 2021 | 65.1% | +223.9% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 68.2% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 81.1% | +19.0% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 81.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.6%, 90% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 81.1% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 96.2%, 84% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | +352.7% | 1.1% | 5.1% |
| 2021 | +223.9% | 20.1% | 65.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1940s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 1950s | 3.1% | 1.1% | 5.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 13.0% | 9.0% | 17.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 19.3% | 17.0% | 21.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 1 |
| 2020s | 70.2% | 65.1% | 81.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More education data for Pakistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 440,233 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 5.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.90 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 19.70 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.101 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Pakistan was 81.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 81.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Pakistan rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Pakistan ranks 160th out of 190 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.