This is a Choose Your Own Adventure-style journey through some of the challenges faced by women public servants in Pakistan. This work was funded by an ESRC Mentorship grant (2022) at the University of Birmingham, mentored by Prof Catherine Needham (UoB).

All art work is by Maryam Akram (@kashmirichaiandbooks) and draws on the Women in Public Service in Pakistan Oral History Archive. You can read more about the Archive and learn how to access it here. You can read a research output based on the archive here.

FOR MANY WOMEN, A CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE OFFERS CONSIDERABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH PERSONAL GROWTH AND CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY. HOWEVER, THE PATH TO SUCH A CAREER AND THE TRAJECTORY WITHIN IT VARY CONSIDERABLY...(image shows 4 different women)
Setting: Post exam interview. SHOULD YOU: BE CALM AND COLLECTED ANDANSWER THE PANEL'S QUETIONS IN A MATTER-OF-FACT MANNER? OR EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS AND REVEAL YOUR AUTHORITY OVER THE SUBJECTS YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH?

If you chose (i), please click here.

If you chose (ii), please click here.

At the Civil Services Academy. SHOULD YOU: QUICKLY BEFRIEND A FEW PEOPLE? OR A TAKE YOUR TIME TO GET TO KNOW EVERYONE?

If you chose (1), please click here.

If you chose (ii), please click here.

At home. SHOULD YOU: • OPT FOR A DESK JOB THAT ALLOWS YOU MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY ? OR @OPT FOR A FIELD POSITION THAT WILL GET YOU A FASTER PROMOTION?

If you chose (i), please click here.

If you chose (ii), please click here.

At work. SHOULD YOU: STAY IN AN INFLUENTIAL POST BUT WITH A BOLS WHO GIVES YOU LITTLE TO DO? OR STAY IN A LESS INFLUENTIAL POST BUT WITH A BOSS WHO LETS YOU TAKE CHARGE!

If you chose (i), please click here.

If you chose (ii), please click here.

As a boss. SHOULD YOU: • ENFORCE THE RULES CLOSELY AND ENSURE THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT OR OFFICE IS RUN IN A HIGHLY EFFILIENT MANNER? OR BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT THE RULES AND ALCOMODATING OF THOSE WORKING UNDER YOUR CHARGE?

If you chose (i), please click here.

If you chose (ii), please click here.

Thank you for playing this Choose Your Own Adventure-style game. Please do share your thoughts about it with me by emailing s.a.m.ali@bham.ac.uk