What women want

Women voters in Pakistan have always been seen from behind the shadows of men. Traditionally, electoral politics used to focus solely on men’s demands. But a lot has changed over the years. With more women playing an active role in the country’s politics, leaders have started acknowledging their voices. According to a report by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) released on Sunday, women voters’ choice in 18 per cent of communities – in the jurisdiction of male and female polling stations – differed from that of their male counterparts in last year’s general elections. Fafen’s analysis, titled ‘Women’s Voting Choices: Significance and Impact on Electoral Outcomes’, compared results from male and female polling stations within the same communities. “In 18 per cent of the communities, male and female voters diverged in their choice of winner as they returned different winners from their respective polling stations", Fafen said.

Fafen’s analysis has its limitations since there is no official gender-wise breakdown of voting patterns. But the findings are enough to give some perspective to political parties. According to the analysis, of the 3,884 communities where women’s choice of winner for National Assembly seats was different, the PTI won more support from women in 1,260 communities, followed by the PML-N in 1,027 and the PPP-P in 694 communities. The trend shows that parties have a lot more to do to meet the needs of women. While the PTI and PML-N had a close run, the PPP is far behind – although to its credit the party has done a few commendable things this term, including the introduction of a women-only bus service to make commuting relatively easy for women. It should be a learning opportunity for parties to figure out how they can meet the bar set by these voters.

Women’s voices in Pakistan are often drowned out by men who see them as a nuisance. Women who raise a voice against the discrimination they face are forced into silence. From digital to physical security, living in Pakistan is a huge challenge for a lot of women. During election campaigns, while political leaders promise jobs and an overall strong economy, they rarely mention the initiatives they have in mind to empower women, who comprise around 50 per cent of the population. Every other day, we hear news of women being assaulted in parks, on the streets, and inside their homes. Every other day, we come across the tragic news of a woman being killed by either her husband or by her in-laws. We have to end this cycle of abuse and torture. Our women are an important part of our society, and we have to make an environment where women can feel safe and heard. It is time for our leaders to ask themselves: ‘what do women want?’ when drafting their agenda/manifesto.