Gender Equality in Pakistan and Azerbaijan: Policy Recommendations within an Islamic Framework

Abstract

This study examines gender equality in Pakistan and Azerbaijan through the lens of marital, socio-economic and business relations, highlighting how practices prohibited in Pakistan are legally or socially accepted in Azerbaijan. In Pakistan, cultural and legal constraints prevent women from engaging equally in business partnerships with men, limit inheritance rights and restrict contractual marital arrangements, whereas Azerbaijan has adopted reforms promoting women’s economic participation, property equality and professional collaborations. The research question is; how can a Sufi-inspired Islamic framework, grounded in ijtihad, guide policy recommendations that reconcile traditional religious values with gender-equal marital and business practices? Empirical evidence from the Women, Business and the Law 2024 index shows Azerbaijan scoring 85.0 on gender equality in legal frameworks, whereas Pakistan lags behind (World Bank, 2024). Surveys such as the Azerbaijan Labour Market Gender Composition 2025 reveal increasing female representation in managerial positions and co-working spaces (Central Bank of Azerbaijan, 2025). Recent studies, including Breaking Barriers to Women’s Employment in Azerbaijan (World Bank, 2024) and Azerbaijani National Action Plan on Gender Equality 2025-2027 (ANAP, 2025), underscore legislative efforts to normalise male-female professional relations. By analysing these studies alongside Sufi principles of spiritual equality and relational contracts, this paper argues that Pakistan can adopt flexible marital frameworks, equal property laws and interpretive councils to legitimize women’s socio-economic engagement. This study utilises qualitative analysis of historical Sufi texts, contemporary policy documents and empirical surveys to provide a comprehensive ethical and legislative approach. It highlights that Sufi concepts of spiritual union, loyalty beyond legal forms and the enduring principle of ijtihad (Iqbal, 1930/2025) offer a viable basis for reform. Policy recommendations focus on legal amendments, institutionalized interpretive councils, women’s entrepreneurship and equal business participation, aligning spiritual values with modern gender equity.