Has growth been good for women’s employment in Pakistan?

In this paper, we analyse the gender inclusiveness of Pakistan’s economic growth performance as measured by the rate at which employment changes when GDP increases by one percentage point. Our results show not only differences in such employment elasticities across sectors but also across genders. Rooted in women’s status as secondary workers within Pakistan’s labour force, their employment is commonly more responsive to the business cycle. Surprising results include that gender wage equality is positively associated with employment elasticities. Furthermore, we question the optimistic narrative that education improves women’s ability to take up employment in periods of positive GDP growth

Empowering growth in Pakistan?

Pakistan's Vision 2025 connects a policy commitment to greater gender equality with inclusive growth. It prioritises a "good quality of life and high living standard for all citizens across regions, gender" and to "achieve an annual average growth rate of 7 to 8 per cent that is inclusive and endogenous" as its first two objectives (GoP 2014a). These commitments respond to the multiple inequalities and the increasing polarization that characterise the South Asian country. Rather than indicating its economic strength, Pakistan's relatively high average income of current USD 1,290 is a reflection of the multiple inequalities that characterize the South Asian country. This is illustrated, for example, by the high incidence of poverty that paralleled even periods of high growth since the turn of the millennium. Despite international and national commitments, Pakistan is characterized by the most severe extent of gender inequalities in the areas of health, education and labour market participation as well as labour conditions in the South Asian region. While positive economic growth rates are often assumed to go hand in hand with rising employment levels and opportunities for income-earning, growth and indicators of gender equality in Pakistan do not seem to be systematically correlated. This article explores the connection between economic growth performance and gender inequalities in Pakistan. We ask the question how empowering macro economic growth has been and can be for women in Pakistan. The present paper addresses this question, offering a concise review of related research as well as an exploration of aggregate data on sectoral gendered employment and economic growth. Based on this it formulates tentative policy conclusions and an outlook for further research

CPEC – Game Changer or Game Over for Women’s Empowerment?

CPEC represents a significant monetary investment for Pakistan, but does the corridor promise women empowerment through wellpaid jobs? The special economic zones (SEZs) under CPEC remain remarkably similar to the existing SEZs and export promotion zones which while employing women do so at very low wage rates and virtually no worker benefits. With this precedent, we argue that CPEC will fail to improve women’s working conditions unless regular, formal and well-remunerated forms of employment are created

Dynamics of Excited Electrons in Copper and Ferromagnetic Transition Metals: Theory and Experiment

Both theoretical and experimental results for the dynamics of photoexcited electrons at surfaces of Cu and the ferromagnetic transition metals Fe, Co, and Ni are presented. A model for the dynamics of excited electrons is developed, which is based on the Boltzmann equation and includes effects of photoexcitation, electron-electron scattering, secondary electrons (cascade and Auger electrons), and transport of excited carriers out of the detection region. From this we determine the time-resolved two-photon photoemission (TR-2PPE). Thus a direct comparison of calculated relaxation times with experimental results by means of TR-2PPE becomes possible. The comparison indicates that the magnitudes of the spin-averaged relaxation time \tau and of the ratio \tau_\uparrow/\tau_\downarrow of majority and minority relaxation times for the different ferromagnetic transition metals result not only from density-of-states effects, but also from different Coulomb matrix elements M. Taking M_Fe > M_Cu > M_Ni = M_Co we get reasonable agreement with experiments.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures, added a figure and an appendix, updated reference

Microprocessor Implementation of a Parallel Processor ; CU-CS-091-76

A wide variety of uses have been proposed for the spectrum of currently available microprocessor systems. Included in this set of applications is the use of microprocessors for implementing large systems; here, the possibility of employing bit slice microprocessors for various parts of a multiple control unit SIMD processor is discussed. A brief summary of bit slice microprocessor architecture is given, followed by an outline of individual applications to various components such as control units and arithmetic/logic units of the SIMD processor

Spin-filter effect of the europium chalcogenides: An exactly solved many-body model

A model Hamiltonian is introduced which considers the main features of the experimental spin filter situation as s-f interaction, planar geometry and the strong external electric field. The proposed many-body model can be solved analytically and exactly using Green functions. The spin polarization of the field-emitted electrons is expressed in terms of spin-flip probabilities, which on their part are put down to the exactly known dynamic quantities of the system. The calculated electron spin polarization shows remarkable dependencies on the electron velocity perpendicular to the emitting plane and the strength of s-f coupling. Experimentally observed polarization values of about 90% are well understood within the framework of the proposed model.Comment: accepted (Physical Review B); 10 pages, 11 figures; http://orion.physik.hu-berlin.de

Dermanyssus gallinae in layer farms in Kosovo: a high risk for salmonella prevalence

Background The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae (D.g.) is a serious ectoparasitic pest of poultry and potential pathogen vector. The prevalence of D. g. and the prevalence of Salmonella spp. within mites on infested laying poultry farms were investigated in Kosovo. Findings In total, 14 populated layer farms located in the Southern Kosovo were assessed for D. g. presence. Another two farms in this region were investigated 6 months after depopulation. Investigated flocks were all maintained in cages, a common housing system in Kosovo. A total of eight farms were found to be infested with D. g. (50%) at varying levels, including the two depopulated farms. The detection of Salmonella spp. from D. g. was carried out using PCR. Out of the eight layer farms infested with D. g., Salmonella spp. was present in mites on three farms (37.5%). Conclusions This study confirms the high prevalence of D. g. in layer flocks in Kosovo and demonstrates the link between this mite and the presence of Salmonella spp. on infested farms