Equality at work: Exploring the voices of female librarians in Punjab, Pakistan

Qurat Ul Ain Saleem ,Kanwal Ameen

doi:10.18282/hrms4021

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Equality at work: Exploring the voices of female librarians in Punjab, Pakistan

Qurat Ul Ain Saleem

Kanwal Ameen

Human Resources Management and Services 2025, 7(1), 4021; https://doi.org/10.18282/hrms4021

Submitted：17 Jan 2025

Accepted：25 Mar 2025

Published：31 Mar 2025

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Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the concept of workplace equality as experienced and perceived by female librarians of Punjab, Pakistan. Through this investigation, the study aimed to contribute to the broader discourse on creating equitable and inclusive workplaces for women in the field of library and information science. A qualitative research method based on semi-structured interviews was employed to meet the objectives of the study. The interview guide was used to collect data from female librarians working in the Higher Education Commission's (HEC) recognized public and private sector universities of the Punjab, Pakistan. According to the results, female librarians shared that they have faced gender-based discrimination in job allocation as male librarians were favored for tasks with additional wages or representation at corporate events. Private sector candidates reported issues related to career development opportunities as managers often restrict participation in seminars, conferences, and higher education pursuits. The study also highlighted that inequalities or discriminations affect employees motivation and enthusiasm. This study highlights issues of inequality from a female perspective in the library and information science field, contributing to a deeper understanding of the key factors to ensure equitable workplaces. This study may be a useful contribution to the body of research literature, as well as the findings may help in sensitizing the management and authorities to control the work environment to facilitate females, and to make female-oriented policies.

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