The significance of social media and online communication tools is not lost on our generation. In these trying times, even those (cough boomers cough) who believed that social media is useless, have grudgingly accepted its benefits. And why is that? COVID-19 seems to have prompted a rethink of that mindset.
In March 2020, as a pandemic took root, most of us were unexpectedly cut off from the outside world. From endless HouseParty calls to remote internships, our generation was quick to use every advantage today’s technological tools offered us while being stuck at home.
Compared to countries like the US or UK, Pakistanis relied far less on the online world as a means of conducting our daily affairs. The shift that was meant to happen at a much slower pace for us found itself exacerbated by the sudden lockdown.
Amidst adjusting to the new normal, a category of online ventures has continued to grow – perhaps faster than any of the others. Pakistani women have used these new virtual channels to facilitate home-based startups and businesses, alongside blogs, content creation and so much more.
A new generation of Pakistani Businesswomen
Alongside the flurry of new Instagram pages, and Facebook shares, these new ventures have also somehow garnered a bit of a counter-reaction. With every new page someone shares, I’ve also seen indirect statuses talking about how we’ve had our fill of quarantine pages or how everyone’s decided to start cooking. It’s a reaction that’s often passed off as humor, or just a passing comment but says a lot more about our perception of individual aspirations and hard work. These comments can be particularly demotivating for women entrepreneurs, who happen to be dominating this rise of lockdown businesses.
Women in Pakistan have historically struggled with career aspirations under societal expectations that their place is inside the home. A study in 2018 showed that despite being 49% of Pakistan’s population, women constitute only 24% of the labor force. But with lockdown restrictions, home-based businesses run by some enterprising women started to gain popularity. Many are benefiting from the blurring of these lines between inside and outside.
These home-based ventures are also important because they shift the narrative to labor inside the house as well. Many women devote their lives to being full-time carers and homemakers, all of which is unpaid and therefore not appreciated as work. As desi women continue to break through existing boxes of what they can and can’t do, they also draw attention to the kinds of labor that aren’t appreciated and in doing so forge their own path of all the choices they can and should be able to make.
A new (and better) normal
Most of the women who have started these businesses under lockdown have credited the ability to work from home as part of their motivation.
From food…..
Shazia Abid Zuberi of Ess Kitchen says:
“ I think online culture has made it possible for these women to work from the safety of their homes. Not all women enjoy the freedom to leave their homes to earn a living. Online businesses have allowed women to become productive members of families and society. I believe it is a very good and positive change.”
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For many women, the motivation that their work now provides is a much-needed blessing in lockdown where periods of isolation and the inability to go outside can have detrimental impacts on mental health.
To make up and skincare…..
Another entrepreneur, Maha Suleman Shah started Beauticity to provide in-demand makeup and skincare products with her sister. She said the idea came to her because she felt herself feeling low in lockdown. It became her motivation to start something and keep herself going
“If I don’t take a step now then I won’t be able to do anything ever in my life”, she said, when talking about why she felt the need to start this.
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There is a growing understanding particularly amongst younger women of the importance of being financially independent and following their passions. While food-based ventures have been the dominant category, we have also seen a rise in more niche ventures that explore avenues of art, beauty and handcrafted goods ranging all the way from greeting cards, to hair oils and more.
Even art……..
Le Vitrail by Ramsha Muzaffar is one such venture, that sells hand-painted stained glass art. She felt it was an art form that was missing from the market and decided to explore her talent. She also believes that the normalization of online culture has been a blessing for women looking to do more.
In a conservative society where a woman’s independence is seen as threatening, she says “this online culture has opened up avenues for women that weren’t there before and enabled them to become the powerhouses they were always meant to be.”
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It’s no secret that women in Pakistan have struggled to break through stereotypes of a ‘shareef gharelo aurat.’ It is motivating to see young women, in particular, taking matters into their own hands and following their passions.
In their desire to make an impact, and take charge of their story these women have taken advantage of this new normal in the best way possible. A whole new market of home-based goods has opened up to an extent that was never available before. One that promises to create support for local businesses and hopefully leads to us setting our own trends.
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