Women in Pakistani Politics: A Comparative Analysis of Gender Quotas and Political Participation

Abstract

This article explores the complexities of women's political participation in Pakistan and their influence by different factors, such as gender quotas, socio-cultural barriers and others. The implementation of gender quotas since 2002 had significantly increased the number of women in Pakistani legislature bodies. However, such effectiveness in gender quotas is most of the time obstructed by political dynasties and socio-cultural barriers. Hence, many quota seats are occupied by women from influential political families, instead of contributing to better change, often, quotas fortify the given status quo. Socio-cultural norms, specifically gender roles, and patriarchal attitudes, also create a lot of constraints to women's public and political activity, though it is even more challenging for conflict and post-conflict countries, with security threats and traditional practices limiting women's involvement. The role of media in the portrayal of women politicians is often patronizing with respect to personal attributes, and not political achievements-a cause for their under-representation. Issues like gender-based violence also threaten women from entering or continuing in politics. The report calls for significant reforms to enforce gender quotas, promote inclusive party practices, and handle socio-cultural barriers plus ensure support for women in conflict zones; equally, in media representation, and combating the issues of gender-based violence. True effective implementation of these measures is key to helping in the realization of meaningful gender equality and empowering women in Pakistan's political landscape.