For women leaders, the world is still far from equal

“Violence has no place in Punjab,” said the newly elected Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Her statement came in the wake of the tragic death of a 12-year-old housemaid in Sargodha on March 1, who suffered fatal injuries after being subjected to beating with iron rods and sticks by her employers, resulting in alleged murder. Responding to this distressing incident, the chief minister asserted her position, urging a comprehensive report from the IG Police and stressing the imperative need for a thorough investigation into the case.

In another incident, the CM Punjab lauded ASP Shehrbano for her heroic intervention and commitment to both law and humanity, and confronting a large mob to rescue a woman. She conveyed her appreciation for Shehrbano's efforts in countering extremism and managing pressure in tense situations, emphasising the critical importance of all police officers maintaining unwavering courage to ensure the safety of citizens.

Both of these instances serve as poignant reminders of the value of female leaders, highlighting how women often bring empathy, a gender-sensitive approach, and courage to their roles. This exemplifies the significant impact of having a woman in a leadership role.

Though it has taken several decades for Pakistan to witness its first female chief minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif now stands as the political heir of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and a three-time prime minister. Maryam Nawaz Sharif secured a National Assembly seat from NA-119 Lahore and another provincial seat from PP-159 in Lahore. Benazir Bhutto became the first female prime minister in 1988 and was elected as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for two separate terms. Benazir Bhutto was an ardent champion for democracy and the human rights of society's most vulnerable, notably advocating for women, children, and minority rights. Consequently, she received posthumous recognition as a laureate of the UN Human Rights Prize on December 10, 2008, in observance of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights, conferred by the General Assembly every five years.

Over the past few decades, women in Pakistan have made steady and consistent strides in attaining political leadership roles. This encouraging trend is noticeable not only within governmental structures and ruling parties but also in opposition parties, where women are increasingly occupying prominent positions and showing resistance. During the recent general elections held on February 8, 2024, numerous women candidates were actively engaged in the electoral process throughout Pakistan. While the country's constitution designates reserved seats for women in both provincial and national assemblies, political parties rarely provide opportunities for women to contest beyond these predetermined quotas. It cautions the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to initiate legal proceedings against political parties found in violation of the mandatory provision requiring each party to nominate a minimum of five percent women candidates on general seats in the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies.

In the face of patriarchal societal constraints that enforce voting restrictions on numerous women through the influence of male family members, 27 women from diverse political parties, alongside independent candidates, chose to compete on general seats rather than relying on reserved quotas in the general elections 2024. They amassed thousands of votes in the polls, ultimately securing positions in both national and provincial assemblies. In challenging established norms, they not only defied the status quo but also played a vital role in driving the progress of women's roles in Pakistani politics.

A plethora of research validates that when women are given the opportunity to assume leadership roles, the resulting impact can be transformative for all involved. Based on a groundbreaking 1992 meta-analysis of 61 studies conducted by Eagly, findings reveal that women, in comparison to men, are more inclined to embody the positive aspects of an organisation and inspire individuals to align with its mission. Likewise, the 2008 Pew Research Center survey on leadership traits conducted in the United States revealed that women were deemed superior or at least equal to men in seven out of eight categories. Half of the respondents perceived women as more honest, while 38% regarded women as smarter, with only 14% attributing greater intelligence to men. Women also demonstrated strength in compassion, sociability, and creativity.

A recent research explores how female leaders increase the engagement and impact of other women in politics. By analysing the UK House of Commons debates and using a difference-in-differences design linked to changes in the gender of cabinet ministers, the study shows that female ministers amplify the participation and influence of female MPs in pertinent discussions compared to male ministers. It also introduces a metric of ministerial responsiveness, revealing that female ministers are more responsive to the speeches of female backbenchers than their male counterparts. The surge in female politicians, marked by 2018 as the "Year of the Woman," is evident in record-breaking numbers in the US Congress and a historic female European Commission president. Likewise, a study by the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the World Economic Forum, analysing 194 countries, suggests that nations led by women showed "systematically and significantly better" Covid-19 outcomes. These countries implemented earlier lockdowns and experienced approximately half as many deaths on average compared to those led by men. The study attributes these positive outcomes to the proactive and well-coordinated policy responses of female leaders, such as Angela Merkel, Jacinda Ardern, Mette Frederiksen, Tsai Ing-wen, and Sanna Marin.

Despite these advancements, the global and Pakistani scenario reveals that women in leadership still endure a minority status, facing marginalisation in comparison to their male counterparts. The presence of women in leadership roles continues to captivate researchers and practitioners, sparking fascination, confusion, and controversy. Non-conformity to gender stereotypes can lead to backlash for politicians, placing women in a double bind where they must balance exhibiting both masculine traits like aggression and toughness and meeting expectations of feminine traits such as empathy and caring. Regardless of the general preference of voters for stereotypically male traits in political leaders, women who demonstrate these characteristics often encounter devaluation compared to their male counterparts. Some researchers emphasise the distinction in feminine stereotypes faced by women in political and non-political realms. Their argument underscores that women leaders are often perceived as deficient in both stereotypically feminine strengths and the masculine qualities deemed essential for effective leadership.

The “Women in politics: 2023” map crafted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women, reveals updated statistics on women holding executive roles and seats in national parliaments as of January 1, 2023. The data exposes a pervasive underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles worldwide, signalling a considerable gap in achieving gender parity in political spheres. Notably, women hold the positions of Heads of State and/or Government in only 31 countries, comprising 26.5 percent of Members of Parliament globally. Additionally, less than one in four Cabinet Ministers worldwide are women, accounting for 22.8 percent. The latest findings reveal a pattern where women predominantly lead critical portfolios related to human rights, gender equality, and social protection policies, while men tend to dominate policy areas such as defense and the economy. This data emphasises the existing challenges in realising gender balance in political leadership on a global scale.

While the global presence of women in political offices has markedly risen in recent decades, a groundbreaking literature review by German researchers indicates that the impact of female representation on policy outcomes varies between developed and developing countries. In developing nations, increased female political representation correlates with improved provision of public goods, particularly in education and health. In contrast, developed countries show minimal influence of higher female representation on public policies, as gauged by spending patterns.

Interestingly, at the core of Maryam Nawaz's agenda is recognition of the multifaceted challenges facing Punjab, from infrastructural deficits and healthcare crises to the urgent need for technological advancement and educational reform. The key points of the five-year agenda encompass transforming Punjab into an economic hub, addressing issues in Lahore and Punjab, including promoting investor-friendly policies, activating price control committees, introducing the "Nighebaan" Ramzan package, upgrading government school infrastructure, launching an air ambulance service, establishing Daanish school in every district, ensuring equal education quality, implementing a comprehensive school transport system, planning state-of-the-art hospitals with free emergency medicines, collaborating with Rescue 1122 for motorway ambulance service, setting up workplace daycare centres and hostels for working women, implementing inclusive reforms for the transgender community, providing more soft loans for females, expanding the Safe City project to 18 more cities, introducing model police stations and special desks for women, initiating agricultural reforms, implementing population scanning for diseases, providing relief in utility bills, and launching new housing schemes.

Nevertheless, the occurrence of two instances of extreme violence against children and women in the first month of her tenure served as a stark reminder for her to broaden her agenda in order to achieve her goal of making Punjab a violence-free province. This endeavour demands legislative reforms, policy formulation, and effective implementations to ensure the protection of citizens' lives. This poses a significant challenge to her leadership as a woman, a challenge that will be etched in history as the policy legacy of her time in office.

Rubina Feroze Bhatti is a leadership consultant and a visiting fellow at Stanford University. She is a former member of National Commission on the Rights of the Child. She tweets @RubinaFBhatti

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