Raising Her Voice - Enhancing Women's Representation in Political Decision-Making

Raising Her Voice - Enhancing Women's Representation in Political Decision-Making

Duration of Project: November 2024 – October 2025

Donors/Partners: Southern Voice

Project Focal Person from SDPI: Mr. Qasim Shah

Locale: Pakistan

Project Team: Qasim Shah, Khansa Naeem,Abdullah Khalid,  Rabia Tabbasum

Unit: Systems Research Group (SRG)

Program/Project Rationale and Background

Despite making up half of the population, women's participation in political decision-making in Pakistan remains limited. While the Election Act 2017 mandates a minimum of 5% party tickets for women, their involvement in internal party decision-making processes is minimal. This project aims to address this disparity by empowering female political workers and advocating for systemic changes within political parties.

Objectives

• Strengthen the participation of women political workers in party decision-making processes.
• Collaborate with major political parties (PMLN, PPP, PTI, JUI-F) to enhance women's roles in leadership.
• Engage with stakeholders like the Women Parliamentary Caucus, Election Commission, NCSW, and civil society organizations.
• Advocate for amendments to the Political Parties Order 2002 and Election Act 2017 to mandate a specific percentage of women in central decision-making bodies.

Methodology

• Political Economy Report: Conduct exploratory research using qualitative methods to understand barriers to women's participation in political decision-making.
• Stakeholder Consultations: Engage with political party leadership, women wings, and relevant organizations to gather insights and build consensus.
• Advocacy Campaign: Launch initiatives to raise awareness and promote policy reforms, including OPEDs, TV talks, and workshops.

Expected Outcomes

• Increased representation of women in central decision-making bodies of political parties.
• Policy reforms mandating women's inclusion in party leadership structures.
• Enhanced awareness and support for gender equity in political participation.

Project Activities:

• Discussion Paper and Political Economy Report, Advocacy & Communications and Lobbying with Political Parties Representatives

Contact email: khansa@sdpi.org