Women’s unfinished revolution

Women’s political participation in shaping political discourse has remained minimal despite their significant proportion of the total population.

Globally, there is an increasing focus on creating gender-balanced societies to address women’s status issues. This trend is evident in Pakistan as well.

While the 2008 parliament showed the highest representation of women in the national and provincial assemblies in Pakistan’s history, their participation in setting political party policies and agendas has consistently remained low. The promise of gender equality in politics remains largely unfulfilled.

The contrast between constitutional guarantees and ground realities in Pakistan tells a compelling story. According to recent census data, women comprise 48.51 per cent of Pakistan’s 241.49 million population, but their political representation remains limited. Pakistan’s constitution proudly proclaims gender equality under Articles 25 and 34, yet women occupy only 53 seats in the National Assembly -- 12 on general seats and 41 through reserved quotas.

This means that in open competition, women secured merely 3.5 per cent of general seats, while the total women’s representation, including reserved seats, stands at just 15.5 per cent in the 336-member National Assembly. This pattern repeats globally -- from Bulgaria to Ireland, male legislators dominate over 80 per cent of parliamentary seats in many democracies. In the European Union alone, 85 per cent of mayors are men.

Legislative efforts to address this imbalance have been significant but insufficient. The Political Parties Order 2002 marked a crucial attempt to increase women’s political participation in Pakistan. The order requires political parties to ensure female representation within their ranks, with a crucial 2013 amendment to Article 8A mandating political parties to select a minimum of 5.0 per cent of women candidates for general seat elections. Another amendment in PPO 2002 -- Article 10 -- proposed a 33 per cent quota for women in all elected and non-elected party general councils and associated committees at federal, provincial, and local levels. However, the bill was not approved.

Nevertheless, the legislative frameworks approved by parliament have struggled to achieve their intended impact due to the limited influence of women parliamentarians, most of whom have reached parliament on reserved seats. While parties nominally comply with numerical requirements, they frequently sidestep the spirit of the law by excluding women from meaningful leadership positions.

The Elections Act, 2017 attempted to build upon these foundations by requiring parties to allocate 5.0 per cent of their tickets in general elections to women candidates. The Act also introduced a crucial provision declaring any election void where women’s turnout is less than 10 per cent of total votes cast. Yet, implementation faces significant challenges.

Electoral officials often lack the resources to monitor women’s turnout effectively, particularly in remote areas. Cultural barriers in conservative regions lead to unofficial agreements between political parties to prevent women from voting, circumventing the law’s intent.

The reality within Pakistan’s major political parties reveals both progress and persistent challenges. The PML-N has evolved from its conservative roots, with figures like Maryam Nawaz rising to Punjab’s chief minister position. The PPP has maintained its pro-women stance since its inception, producing Pakistan’s first female prime minister and first female foreign minister.

The PTI, despite its modern outlook, still struggles with gender representation -- in its 33-member core committee, only one female member secured a position. Even the JUI-F, traditionally conservative, has shown some evolution in its stance on women’s participation, though cultural considerations continue to influence their approach.

Research consistently shows that women legislators are more likely to prioritise healthcare, education, and social welfare policies that benefit entire communities. When women gain meaningful representation in parliaments, they consistently champion reforms in inheritance rights, labour laws, and gender-based violence legislation, demonstrating the tangible benefits of inclusive governance.

The path forward requires a comprehensive overhaul of our political system. First, existing legislation must be strengthened, with the Political Parties Order and the Election Act 2017 amended to mandate a meaningful increase in women’s representation in leadership positions.

Second, political parties must transform from within, establishing robust mentorship programs, conducting regular gender audits, and fully integrating women’s wings into central decision-making structures. Third, cultural change must be promoted through comprehensive education and media campaigns, challenging stereotypes about women leaders while implementing grassroots programs to educate communities about women’s political rights.

The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) has demonstrated how structured intervention can create meaningful change through its comprehensive initiative ‘Raising Her Voice in Political Parties for Engendering Politics in Pakistan’.

Operating at multiple levels, SDPI simultaneously engages with political parties to reform internal structures, works with the Election Commission of Pakistan to strengthen implementation mechanisms, and collaborates with women parliamentarians to enhance legislative effectiveness. Their work extends from analyzing and strengthening legislative frameworks like the Political Parties Order 2002 and the Election Act 2017.

With clear milestones and measurable outcomes, SDPI is focused on addressing the barriers women face in politics through sustained, organised efforts.

At the current rate of progress, gender parity at the national level won’t be achieved until and unless a reform agenda is introduced in a timely manner. We cannot afford to sideline half our population’s talent and perspective in an era of complex global challenges, from climate change to economic inequality. The question is not whether women belong in politics, it’s whether our political systems will finally evolve to reflect the true diversity and potential of our societies.

The time for tokenistic measures is over. We need bold, systemic change that transforms our political institutions into genuine platforms for equal representation and shared power. Only then can we fulfil the promise that leaders like Fatima Jinnah and Benazir Bhutto represented not just for women, but for the democratic ideals we all cherish.

The writers are associated with the Sustainable Development Policy

Institute (SDPI). The article doesn’t necessarily represent the views of the organisation.