Lawmakers call for more effective representation of women in polls
Parties award tickets to women in constituencies where chances of victory are slim
Lawmakers call for more representation of women in election process. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Parliamentarians, members of civil society and women’s rights activists have urged all the political parties to ensure effective implementation of 5% quota in awarding party tickets to women on general seats by reserving specific seats for women politicians to ensure that women have equal representation in the upcoming general elections 2018 in accordance with Elections Act 2017.
They were speaking at a consultation on “Making Gender Quota Meaningful” organised by the Heinrich Boll Stiftung Foundation here on Thursday.
Sharing his views on the occasion, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Musaddaq Malik said women represented 50pc of the country’s population and 5% quota for their participation on general seats in the upcoming election was quite insufficient and unfair and could not adequately represent such a large chunk of the population. However, he said women’s quota could be raised only through a democratic process. ‘It is only through democratic processes that we can turn the quota system into mainstreaming of women in general election process,’ said Mr Malik. He further stated that female members of political parties can also play an effective role to increase women’s representation in the assemblies on general seats and their colleagues in the Parliament are there to push that cause ahead.
PML-N to win elections, predicts The Economist
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Shibli Faraz said there were different cultural and social barriers that were a big hurdle for women to participate in elections on general seats. He gave example of Kohistan, Kala Dhaka and Dir in his province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) where representation of women on general seats was close to non-existent. In those areas such quota system for women almost fails to deliver. Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Sitara Ayaz said her party had in fact called for 10% quota of women on general seats as women representation was vital for addressing the issues being faced by women countrywide. Through increased representation ANP wanted to mobilise women and ensure their effective roles in society. Similarly, women parliamentarians who do not take active part in legislation process should not be awarded tickets for the next term. She said in her party, there was no segregation in the name of gender and women were given importance equally with the men. She commended PPP for going beyond the 5% quota, as in the 2013 elections they fielded women on 6.6% general seats.
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Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Khokar said the rationale behind the quota system was to create an enabling environment. Initially it was meant for generating jobs. However, later for the effective representation of women and minorities, the quota system was introduced. Unfortunately, the mainstream political parties sometimes use this 5% quota only as formality and award tickets to women in those constituencies where chances of their victory are slim. He said PPP had a track record of awarding tickets to womenc. Moreover, he assured that this year too, women would be given representation at a higher level than the mere 5%.
One of the participants, Provincial Commission on Status of Women Chairperson Nuzhat Shirin, informed, ‘we are considering making a task force that would include civil society to monitor whether women are given equal participation opportunities.’
Another participant Farhat Parveen said we should see legitimacy of parliamentarians as well whether they are directly elected as in case of the Upper House, we see parliamentarians are elected through indirect election. She appreciated the role and performance of women who were indirectly elected to the Parliament. She urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure that 5% women are elected directly and tickets are awarded to female candidates by each political party.
Bushra Khaliq said in each Union Council two women members are elected. These democratic spaces are given to women but unfortunately, political parties systematically deprive the women of these spaces.
Romana Bashir highlighted the cause of non-Muslim women as they were not adequately represented, neither on general seats nor on reserved. She called upon the political parties’ leadership to ensure women form non-Muslim communities are also represented in the Parliament.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2018.
Parliamentarians, members of civil society and women’s rights activists have urged all the political parties to ensure effective implementation of 5% quota in awarding party tickets to women on general seats by reserving specific seats for women politicians to ensure that women have equal representation in the upcoming general elections 2018 in accordance with Elections Act 2017.
They were speaking at a consultation on “Making Gender Quota Meaningful” organised by the Heinrich Boll Stiftung Foundation here on Thursday.
Sharing his views on the occasion, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Musaddaq Malik said women represented 50pc of the country’s population and 5% quota for their participation on general seats in the upcoming election was quite insufficient and unfair and could not adequately represent such a large chunk of the population. However, he said women’s quota could be raised only through a democratic process. ‘It is only through democratic processes that we can turn the quota system into mainstreaming of women in general election process,’ said Mr Malik. He further stated that female members of political parties can also play an effective role to increase women’s representation in the assemblies on general seats and their colleagues in the Parliament are there to push that cause ahead.
PML-N to win elections, predicts The Economist
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Shibli Faraz said there were different cultural and social barriers that were a big hurdle for women to participate in elections on general seats. He gave example of Kohistan, Kala Dhaka and Dir in his province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) where representation of women on general seats was close to non-existent. In those areas such quota system for women almost fails to deliver. Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Sitara Ayaz said her party had in fact called for 10% quota of women on general seats as women representation was vital for addressing the issues being faced by women countrywide. Through increased representation ANP wanted to mobilise women and ensure their effective roles in society. Similarly, women parliamentarians who do not take active part in legislation process should not be awarded tickets for the next term. She said in her party, there was no segregation in the name of gender and women were given importance equally with the men. She commended PPP for going beyond the 5% quota, as in the 2013 elections they fielded women on 6.6% general seats.
Election 2018: Delimitations in six more districts declared void
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Khokar said the rationale behind the quota system was to create an enabling environment. Initially it was meant for generating jobs. However, later for the effective representation of women and minorities, the quota system was introduced. Unfortunately, the mainstream political parties sometimes use this 5% quota only as formality and award tickets to women in those constituencies where chances of their victory are slim. He said PPP had a track record of awarding tickets to womenc. Moreover, he assured that this year too, women would be given representation at a higher level than the mere 5%.
One of the participants, Provincial Commission on Status of Women Chairperson Nuzhat Shirin, informed, ‘we are considering making a task force that would include civil society to monitor whether women are given equal participation opportunities.’
Another participant Farhat Parveen said we should see legitimacy of parliamentarians as well whether they are directly elected as in case of the Upper House, we see parliamentarians are elected through indirect election. She appreciated the role and performance of women who were indirectly elected to the Parliament. She urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure that 5% women are elected directly and tickets are awarded to female candidates by each political party.
Bushra Khaliq said in each Union Council two women members are elected. These democratic spaces are given to women but unfortunately, political parties systematically deprive the women of these spaces.
Romana Bashir highlighted the cause of non-Muslim women as they were not adequately represented, neither on general seats nor on reserved. She called upon the political parties’ leadership to ensure women form non-Muslim communities are also represented in the Parliament.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2018.