NCSW Advocates Empowering Women in Political Decision-Making

Shazia Mehboob

Islamabad: In our political system, women have often been relegated to the role of a passive vote bank, with political parties primarily utilizing them for representative duties during public gatherings, meetings, and campaigns.

Despite the existence of women’s wings within political parties, these entities typically serve symbolic purposes and have not significantly impacted the decision-making processes within the parties. The structural discrimination prevalent in party organizations has directly influenced the limited representation of women, particularly in contested elections.

These observations were shared by NCSW Chairperson Nilofar Bakhtiar during her remarks at a consultative meeting addressing women’s meaningful participation in the political process in Islamabad on Monday.

NADRA has to speed up the work otherwise it would take 25 years for 10 million women of voting age to register. Farzana Bari

The noteworthy representation of women in legislative bodies is mainly due to the quota system as they are not elected directly by the people but rather are allocated their seats by the party apparatus which means they are not true representatives of the socio-cultural class of the majority of women of Pakistan.

This is a significant indication for the de-facto lack of women empowerment in political parties, NCSW DG Bakhtiar added. She said women are not elected directly by the people but rather are allocated their seats by the party apparatus which means they are not true representatives of the socio-cultural class of the majority of women of Pakistan.

Representatives of various political parties, women’s wing leaders and civil society, as well as government officials, attended the consultative meeting for enhancing meaningful political participation of women.

The NCSW chairperson observed that women have been considered as a passive vote bank and political parties tend to use them mostly for representative functions at public gathering, meetings and campaigns. She further added that although political parties have women’s wings these tend to fulfill largely representative functions and have not influence the decision-making process within political parties so structural discrimination in party organizations has influenced women’s representation when it comes to the contestation elections.

This is the right time when political parties can work with the Election Commission on the voter lists as it will not be possible to work on the voter list after the announcement of the General Elections. ECP Nighat Siddique

Representatives of various political parties, women’s wing leaders and civil society, as well as government officials, attended the meeting.

Nilofar further stated whenever there is any problem in the country, the agenda of women always goes backward. She pointed out that although women have been given the right of vote but not the power in decision making, particularly in practical decision making.

Election Commission Nighat Siddique said that this is an important time before the election when political parties should work with the Election Commission on the voter lists as it will not be possible to work on the voter list after the announcement of the general election.

Nighat said that due to the difficulties faced by women in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, training officers were being trained keeping in view the cultural requirements so as to ensure maximum political participation of women.

Women should be included in the political process as well as all other important forums in democratic institutions such as parliamentary committees. UN Women Representative Hassan Hakeem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NADRA’s representative Moazzama Yousaf said that NADRA is a resourceful institution and 90 percent of the centers set up by it have female staff to facilitate females in the registration process. Women rights activist Farzana Bari said that NADRA has done a lot to close the gender gap of voters but they have to speed up the work otherwise it would take 25 years for 10 million women of voting age to register.

She further said that according to the last census, the number of transgender people is 10, 418 while NADRA has so far registered only 2900.

It is imperative that the process of registration of women, transgender and persons with disabilities be expedited as soon as possible and it is decided that if the number of women voters in any polling station is less than 10 percent then the election result will be declared null and void.

UN Women Representative Hassan Hakeem said that women should be included in the political process as well as in important forums in democratic institutions such as parliamentary committees and other decision making institutions. He stressed to ensure women participation in the budget and other such decision processes.

Various recommendations were given to improve women’s active participation during the upcoming General Elections. At the end, the participants gave recommendations.

NADRA is a resourceful institution and 90 percent of the centers set up by it have female staff to facilitate females in the registration process: NADRA: Moazzama Yousaf