WUNRN
Pakistan – There Is No Honour in Barring Women from Voting
Pakistani
women exercise their right to vote on the Cantonment board elections in Lahore.
Photo: UNDP Pakistan
24
June 2015 by Marc-André Franche, Country Director, UNDP in Pakistan
On
30 May, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan went to the polls to
exercise their hard-earned democratic right to choose their local leaders.
But
newspaper reports emerged of candidates, community elders, and religious
leaders conspiring to bar women from voting. In an earlier by-election,
local media reported that out of 47,280 registered women voters, not a single
woman cast her vote, following a decision by local leaders to ban women from
voting.
It
is a depressing reminder that aspects of Pakistan’s political culture remain
far removed from the democratic ideals that have characterized the struggle for
democracy in this country.
Pakistani
women are serving in the armed forces and increasing numbers of women are
joining the police; putting their lives on the line to protect their fellow
citizens and serve their country. Such noble sacrifice and contribution should
be a source of national pride and not diminished by those misguided few who
believe their gender disqualifies them from voting.
Such
practices have no place in a democratic society. They should be consistently
rejected and challenged by all those who subscribe to the concept of
multi-party democracy and are committed to strengthening the democratic system
in Pakistan.
A
glimmer of hope has come from the protest and condemnation by local civil
society organizations determined to expose what is happening, and the
willingness of the media to bring such stories to the attention of a wider
audience. This sends a reminder to those who believe such practices can be
justified on cultural grounds that others in Pakistan think differently and are
not prepared to stay silent.
But
rhetorical rejection alone will not be sufficient to prevent such practices
from reoccurring. Legislation is required to make such practices illegal and
we urge the Special Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms to give due
consideration to this in light of recent developments.
Political
party leaders in particular need to add to the chorus of condemnation and
sanction those in their ranks who violate the basic democratic ethos of their
respective party brands.
Doing nothing, or saying little,
sends an equivocal message that inadvertently risks creating a permissive
environment for the continuation and proliferation of such activities.
But,
the consequences are much broader than this.
The
disenfranchisement of women voters, and the conscious violation of their basic
rights, makes it harder for Pakistan to articulate a credible narrative to the
outside world of a country moving forward, of a democratic system evolving, of
Pakistan’s desire to become an example of progress for others to emulate. It
calls into question what type of country Pakistan wants to be: a circumscribed
democracy or a fully-fledged one.
Accomplishing
development goals is not possible if women are denied meaningful political
participation. No country will reach its full potential if its female citizens
do not enjoy full equality. The countries which are making the most progress
towards achieving MDG targets are those which have vibrant local government
systems with an emphasis on participatory development.
The
active engagement of all members of local communities, particularly women, in
decision-making processes is vital to improving living standards and ensuring
sustainable development goals are met.
If
women are denied their rightful role as key agents of change, the story in the
future risks being one of delayed development and unmet targets. In the
challenging context of KP, this scenario would severely undermine collective
efforts currently being undertaken by all stakeholders to promote stability in
the province.
In
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and in similar scenarios globally, such a story produces no
winners.