Policy Paper: Enhancing Women’s Political Participation in Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Women's political participation in Sindh is influenced by structural obstacles, social perceptions and institutional challenges. Despite the constitutional provisions that ensure gender equality, women keep on facing systemic obstacles that limit their engagement in politics. This policy paper presents intensive analysis of obstacles for the political representation of women, drawing from qualitative research and expert interview to provide policy-powered solutions. Evidence highlights the fact that increasing women participation in politics leads to more inclusive and representative rule. However, frequent socio-cultural obstacles, economic dependencies, and gender bias prevents women from being fully engaged in electoral processes (Bilal and Ahmed, 2018; Khattak and Higden, 2020). Women are reduced to major decision making positions, and political parties often fail to implement inclusive policies that promote gender balance (Hussain, 2022). Awareness and lack of institutional support carried forward women's ability to actively participate in politics, making gender equality a distant goal. This Paper focuses on education, leadership training, and legislative reforms in enhancing women's political engagement. It examines best practices from around the globe and comparative case studies to determine methods that are consistent with Sindh's socio-political environment. It also determines significant policy recommendations for enhancing women in politics, increasing gender quotas, offering financial and institutional assistance, and providing legal protection against gender discrimination (Allau Din and Rind, 2018; Chema et al., 2021).