Women in Pakistani Politics: Breaking Barriers and Achieving SDG’s Goal 5

Abstract

This research examines the challenges, opportunities, and advancements associated with the political engagement of women in Pakistan, as they relate to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), which promotes gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Despite the implementation of constitutional safeguards and institutional measures, including reserved seats in the National and Provincial Assemblies, women remain underrepresented in significant political positions in Pakistan. The study employs a qualitative technique that is based on secondary data to analyze trends from 2002 to 2024. These secondary data sources encompass academic literature, media sources, international development indicators, policy documents, and officials' reports. The research employs Feminist Theory to identify the institutional, cultural, and structural barriers that impede women's access to and participation in political power. This review concludes that the majority of women are nominated through reserved quotas and frequently lack independent political agency, despite the fact that they hold approximately 20–21% of parliamentary seats. The participation of women in decision-making settings is still being undermined by tokenism, patriarchal party structures, and societal standards.Pakistan has made only a limited amount of progress on important Sustainable Development Goal 5 indicators, particularly the indicator regarding the percentage of seats held by women and women as decision-makers, according to the study's findings. Pakistan is not as advanced in promoting women's leadership in mainstream politics as its regional counterparts, such as India and Bangladesh, as evidenced by comparative data analysis. Furthermore, the investigation evaluates the effectiveness of organizations such as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the United Nations Women's Organization (UN Women), emphasizing the significance of civic education, social empowerment, and gender-sensitive reforms. In order to accomplish Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), a fundamental transformation in political culture, legal institutions, and cultural attitudes is necessary, as the results indicate. This objective cannot be accomplished solely through quotas. In order to enhance the political representation of women, a series of policy recommendation are presented at the end.