Lahore : Dec 29 ,2023: Aurat Foundation has released charter of demand for.motr active participation of women in Pakistan’s politics .
Aurat Foundation released charter of demand which counts the factors which impede women participation in Pakistan’s politics.
It said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced February 8, 2024 for holding the next general elections in Pakistan. Mainstream political parties have launched their election campaigns despite the political instability, continuing incidents of terrorism and prevailing economic crisis.
Women’s political participation has always been an uphill battle in Pakistan. General elections in 2018 witnessed an increased focus on women’s political participation with higher female voter turnout in much of the country.
The Elections Act of 2017 mandated that returns from any constituency where women’s turnout would less than or equal to 10 percent be nullified. It also criminalized the practice of preventing a woman from voting in or contesting an election.
Besides that, the Act required all political parties to list female candidates in at least five percent of their non-reserved national and provincial assembly seats.
The ECP promoted women-only polling stations with female staff to encourage voter turnout in more conservative parts of the country. Despite an overall decrease in voter turnout, female voter turnout in 2018 is estimated at 23.26 million, an increase compared to 22.9 million in the 2013 general elections.
Despite all these positive developments, women’s participation in the electoral process continues to face a significant gender gap. Of the country’s nearly 106 million registered voters, 59.2 million are male and 46.7 million are female. Pakistan ranks last in the world for female turnout in elections, with nearly 20 percent fewer women than men having voted in the previous national election, according to survey data.
The ECP’s efforts to encourage women in politics have been only partially successful. After ECP ruled that five percent of each party’s candidates for general (non-reserved) seats should be women, several parties reportedly placed female candidates in “weak” seats they were bound to lose.
The upcoming general elections in Pakistan present a crucial juncture for enhancing women’s political participation. Women political participation has always been a focus area for Aurat Foundation. Building on its past efforts to strengthen women political participation, the Aurat Foundation, with the support of Women Learning Partnership, organized a three-day National Training of Trainers for 2023 titled “Beyond the Ballots:
Enhancing Women Political Participation to Strengthen Democratic Culture.” Women political activists from different political parties participated in the NToT where they were trained around leadership, women political participation, mapping of political situation, communicating as a leader, networking, alliance-building and culture of democracy.
At the end of this training, women political activists presented their Charter of Demand for substantial women representation in the political process leading to Elections 2024.
Charter of Demand
Ensures that women rights are a priority area for manifestoes of all political parties. It also ensures the effective implementation of women’s quota in political party structures, including decision-making bodies and candidate nominations political parties shall mandate comprehensive training programs for women within political parties, covering leadership skills, political strategies, and issue-based advocacy.
Both political parties and election commission shall ensure strict anti-harassment policies not only within political parties but also on the digital spaces to create a safe and inclusive environment for women to actively participate in the political process.
Launch public awareness campaigns to promote the importance of women’s political participation and challenge stereotypes, fostering a supportive public opinion.
Allocate sufficient funds to support women candidates during election campaigns, addressing financial barriers that hinder their active involvement.
Ensure transparent, merit-based selection criteria and process for nomination of women on reserved seats.
Government shall ensure 33% representation of women in local government.
Election Commission of Pakistan shall ensure Implementation of measures to enhance the accessibility of polling stations, taking into consideration the unique needs and challenges faced by women, including those in rural and remote areas.
Both political Parties and ECP shall ensure developing and disseminating gender-sensitive voter education programs to inform women about their rights, the importance of voting, and the electoral process.
It demanded that the government shoulf ensure and implement enhanced security measures around polling stations to ensure the safety of women voters and candidates, especially in areas prone to political violence or where women are barred to vote.
It also demanded that Election Commission should ensure transparent reporting and publication of gender-disaggregated data related to electoral processes, providing insights into women’s participation at every stage.