Image credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Mostafameraji
By Naz Dana 27 January 2023
Politics is a way of making decisions, influencing those decisions, and distributing political power among the people. subsequently or resultantly the rights of women in politics are mandatory. The status of women’s role in politics has been crucial throughout the world, back then women who tried to take part in politics, and showed interest in world affairs were thought of as lesser because men never accepted women as their competition, women are considered fragile and good for nothing, but history proved them all wrong. The representation of women has reached a significant milestone. The global average of women in parliamentary positions now sits at 25.5%, reaching over a quarter for the first time in history. When it comes to Pakistan, Gender inequality in politics is patent in Pakistan, women throughout Pakistan have fought for their rights to vote or hold public offices. In Pakistan, the ratio of female political participation has seen no improvement even in the 21st century. When it comes to Balochistan, the status of female politicians in Balochistan is even worst compared to the other provinces of Pakistan, while the realization is growing that women are marginalized in political spaces, progress remains slow and uneven.
The rights of women in the world under the UN Women have been emphasized and it is one of the important things which has to be followed globally, and when talking about the rights of women in today’s era politics play a pivotal role in determining women’s future and making it worthy.
Politicians in Pakistan have always been in the mainstream due to all the controversies and the failed system of governance, in the political history of Pakistan, the democratic era has been turbulent since the beginning no law and order preserved, and no checks and balances observed. Despite all these faults, a huge number of male politicians are seen in the ministry as compared to females. The first female leader from the Opposition from 1960 to 1967 was Fatima Jinnah, and the first Female Prime Minister of Pakistan was Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, comparatively to male politicians’ women have been deprived of their political rights in Pakistan, women are given the least authority to decision making and power to rule. There are a lot of exploited fault lines in the political body of the state which need immediate amendments specifically when it comes to the role of women in politics. In addition to the political rights of women of Pakistan in Balochistan, we observe a huge gap compared to the other provinces of Pakistan, the loophole predicts a lot about the fate of women in Balochistan and the political representation of women in Balochistan. Ms. Fazila Alyani was the first female minister in Balochistan who was elected to the Balochistan Assembly in 1972, she outshines and proved to be one of the best ministers in a male-dominated society. When it comes to the National Assembly of Pakistan, Ms. Zubaida Jalal is the first woman from District Kech who won a seat in National Assembly. Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani was elected as the first-ever female speaker of the Balochistan Assembly in 2015. Keeping in view the current political scenario of women in Balochistan, we witness incompetency when it comes to the participation of women in politics because it is always the political parties’ responsibility to ensure women’s full participation in general elections that they become part of the system. The intra-political parties should make the representation of women mandatory locally and provisionally. According to article 106 of the constitution of the republic of Pakistan, the provisional assembly of Balochistan has 65 members where 51 members are directly elected on general seats from districts of Baluchistan, and 11 seats are reserved for women. The main issue of the quota system for the reserved seats of women is the indirect election, as a legislator the indirect elections damage the ability and integrity of women. And usually, it makes them indolent in legislative bodies. The male dominancy always makes the women dependent on them Moreover, it is also obvious that indirectly/nominated females often do not fulfill the essential requirements of being a legislator.
This is unfortunate for us that we do not even have a female counselor in the general seat in Balochistan. The questions is: how can we claim participation in the senate, national assembly, or provincial assembly? One of the major causes of the least representation of women in politics is cultural barriers women in most areas of Balochistan do not even have the right to vote and the other main cause is the male-dominated society where a woman is always abandoned in every sphere of life and never considered equal to man. Balochistan in comparison to the other provinces of Pakistan is one of the most diverse provinces which lags back almost everything, if we compare the ratio of political women from Punjab its higher than in Balochistan because there the women come to politics through proper channels whereas in Balochistan there is no such entity where we observe a female politician is elected and have won the seat through elections. The question here is, why the political parties do not play their role fairly. Why the opportunities which have to be given to women are not provided effectively and accurately? How many women wings do we have in the political parties in Balochistan? In these five years, how many women from different parties have come to the provincial assembly through elections? Are the political parties supposed to fulfill the quota or do they really want women in Balochistan to prosper and compete with other politicians equally? Women and girls share 50% of the world population, excluding them from the political arena and their thorough cut off from decision-making affects their lives and as well as. Balochistan’s continued absence of females in policymaking and legislation further reinforces stereotypes.
Empowering female politicians in government and administration should be the ultimate goal of political parties, ensuring the presence of female politicians in the central committees is the first step toward the empowerment of women in politics. From there the journey starts and it can ensure their capabilities of good leadership. “Models of democratic governance suggest that the quality of elected officials determines the effectiveness of good governance.“ Similarly, when women are elected through elections, it will positively impact the system of governance. Women’s equal participation in politics begins within the parties. empowering women means increasing the opportunities and capacities for women which will be beneficial economically and socially.
Writer is working as a Research Assistant in Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN), Quetta.