If asked about ambitions and aspirations from an ordinary woman in Pakistan, it is rare that you will hear from her about entering into politics. Women have to struggle much harder than a man to attain leadership positions. The barriers they face are purely inherent in the gender roles sculpted by our societies. The gendered perception of political leadership roles in male-dominated society hinders the ability of women to enter into politics.
From an early age, girls are constrained from attending schools, as compared to their male counterparts. The social and cultural attitude towards a female is confined to that of a mother and wife which thrives on the notion of servitude. According to National Review of the Status of Women in Pakistan by UN Women Pakistan (2023), an estimated 22.8 million children between the age of 5- 16 are out of school and a staggering 53% of females aged from 15- 64 reported that they had never attended school as compared to 33% of the males in the same age range. This gender gap in in the field of education proves to be the first boulder that deprives women the right to education as compared to the men of the same age.
Another problem that women in Pakistan face is the stripping of their agency, which takes away their ability to become independent thinkers. Independent-thinking is one of the crucial qualities that a leader possesses. Girls are taught to be selfless and sacrificing. This inculcates the idea that they are worthy only if they receive approval from other people. This, consequently, makes many women in Pakistan, a victim of good-girl syndrome. This is evident from the fact that mostly women deny their right to inheritance and give in their properties to their brothers instead. Lack of access to education and agency largely lead towards the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in the public and political spheres of Pakistan.
Traditionally, women’s role in Pakistani society is seen as nurturing and caring as that of a mother and a wife. Women pursuing politics are seen as rebels as this puts a great threat on the tradition role of a woman. This discouragement mainly stems from the families and communities to which they belong, shattering their hopes of stepping into the political arena. The societal narrative treats women in politics as an exception rather than a norm which makes it harder for a woman to gain respect as leader. Moreover, women who have attained the position of authority face a lack of social acceptance; they are only accepted on the society as long as they do not challenge their male colleagues, completely overlooking their ideas and effectiveness. Even if a woman manages to get top leadership positions, she is an easy subject of gender-based violence, sexism and hate-speech.
Our societies have ranked gender based on prestige and power which results in the idea of inequality. Men are considered to have more strength, hence they are thought to have more power and prestige, as our society associates strength with power. This places men on top of the hierarchy in almost every area of life. The secondary status of women in society results in unequal opportunities for women and segregation from men. The idea of caretakers, nurturers and ‘beautiful souls’ entering into ‘dirty politics’ discourages many women of our societies from entering into politics.
Leadership is often associated with masculine traits; the traditional notion of femininity is often conflicting to these traits. Women in politics are expected to suppress their feminine qualities and adopt assertive and aggressive traits in order to excel in such roles. This puts forward the idea that women should let go of their feminine side and adopt masculine characteristics to be more successful in politics which leads to a sense of alienation of their own valuable qualities and identity.
Pakistan has had quite a few women in top leadership positions. Benazir Bhutto was the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan who was democratically elected in 1988. Fatima Jinnah contested against Ayub Khan in Presidential elections in 1965. Maryam Nawaz is currently the Chief Minister of Punjab. These women were able to attain leadership positions due to their associations with renowned male leaders: Benazir Bhutto was the daughter of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Fatima Jinnah was the sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Maryam Nawaz is the daughter of Nawaz Sharif. However, it is a far-fetched idea for ordinary women to enter into politics as they lack the economic and power base.
Pakistan is home to about 49 percent female population but only 24 percent of the female population is actively participating in economic activities. According to the Labour Force Survey 2020-21, women’s participation in the labour force is about 15.5 per cent, accounting more in the rural areas as compared to the urban areas due to the participation in the agricultural sector. Moreover, women also face an income disparity as an average wage for women is about 82 per cent, in comparison to their male counterparts. Traditionally, women are considered to be inferior and they must fulfill their primary roles as domesticated creatures which discard the idea of equality. The work wage of women is considered a threat to the male ego which results in income disparity.
Political parties are seen as the institutions that nominate and support candidates for top leadership positions. Often times, in Pakistan, political parties pose a major hurdle for women to enter into politics. Developing networks is of great importance when it comes to politics. It is crucial for gaining political support and funds but due to the male dominance in the field of politics, it becomes increasingly difficult for a woman to step into this domain. It is not the question of availability of suitable women but more about over-saturation of the domain with male population.
Nordic countries prove to be the epitome of women equality. These countries have the highest number of women in parliament and these countries are ranked as top countries in terms of happiness index and welfare of the people. This was possible due to some structural changes and cultural support. This indicates that participation of women in politics uplifts the status of women which is a marker of a progressive society. Presence of women like Asma Jahangir, Dr. Ruth Pfau and Bilquis Edhi in effective positions has left a long-lasting effect on the welfare and society of Pakistan. More women in such positions lead to more gender sensitive policies and increased attention towards the status of women.
In the end, one may ask if the problem lies in the political structure or within the women? It is clear that women hold the same intellectual capacity as men. There are many flaws in the current political structure; the most basic flaw is the lack of acceptance and realization of lack of women into politics. There should be an eradication of viewing politics through the ‘malestream’ lens. The government should provide an equal opportunity and level playing field for both the genders. Education for women is the cornerstone for political awareness and independence that makes a woman suitable for the parliamentary positions.
