Pareeshe Fatima
Both international and national laws and covenants influence the political rights of women in Pakistan. Irrespective of the national or international safeguards and protections, the political rights of women are critical for the political and democratic governance of any country in the world now, including Pakistan. The most important aspect is that women should be independent in casting their votes. Generally, in Pakistan, these are the men who influence the votes of women, especially in rural areas. However, with more education among the women, they are more aware of their right to vote.
International laws and covenants: Pakistan is a signatory to several international instruments that uphold the political rights of women, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. These instruments affirm the principles of equality, non-discrimination, participation, and representation of women in all spheres of public life. They also oblige the state to take measures to eliminate barriers and ensure opportunities for women to exercise their political rights.
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National laws and covenants: Pakistan has also enacted various laws and policies to promote and protect the political rights of women at the national level. For example, the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the right to vote and the right to contest elections for all citizens, regardless of gender. The Election Act 2017 mandates that at least 10% of voters in each constituency should be women and that political parties should allocate at least 5% of their tickets to women candidates. The National Commission on the Status of Women Act 2012 establishes an independent body to monitor and review the implementation of laws and policies related to women’s rights, including their political rights. The National Policy Framework for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality 2023 outlines a comprehensive strategy to enhance women’s participation and representation in decision-making processes at all levels.
Despite these legal and policy frameworks, women in Pakistan still face many challenges and gaps in exercising their political rights. Some of these include low representation. Women constitute only 20.6% of the members of the National Assembly, 19.3% of the members of the Senate, and 18.8% of the members of the provincial assemblies. This is far below the global average of 25.5% for women in national parliaments. Women also face difficulties in accessing leadership positions within political parties and government institutions. Social and cultural barriers also hinder the political rights of women in Pakistan. Women encounter various forms of discrimination, harassment, violence, and intimidation that deter them from participating in political activities. These include patriarchal norms, religious extremism, tribal customs, honour killings, forced marriages, illiteracy, poverty, and lack of mobility.
Then there are also legal and institutional obstacles to the rights of women in Pakistan. Women also face challenges in accessing justice and redress for violations of their political rights. These include inadequate implementation and enforcement of laws and policies, lack of awareness and sensitization among law enforcement agencies and judiciary, corruption and nepotism, lack of legal aid and support services, and lack of accountability and transparency mechanisms.
These are some of the critical aspects of the political rights of women in Pakistan for international and national laws and covenants. However, one thing is encouraging: more and more women are now getting awareness about their political rights, and it is a good omen for the political governance in Pakistan.
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