Women’s full & equal participation in political & electoral processes signify women’s empowerment & gender equality: Azam Nazir Tarar

ISLAMABAD, August 03 (SABAH): Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Chaudhry Azam Nazir Tarar Advocate while addressing the National Dialogue on Women Inclusive Electoral Processes said that Women’s full and equal participation in political and electoral processes signify women’s empowerment and gender equality. When women participate in elections – as voters, candidates, electoral administrators, or party supporters, political processes are more inclusive and democracy is strengthened.

He further added that Women’s full participation in political and electoral processes has been enumerated in international instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [ICCPR] and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), both of which have been ratified by Pakistan. Under Elections Act 2017, The Commission may declare the election void if the turnout of women voters is less than ten percent of the total votes polled in a constituency.

he Commission may conduct public awareness programmes and media campaigns, regarding the importance of maximum voter enrolment and participation in elections, especially by women; There shall be seats in the National Assembly allocated to each Province, Islamabad Capital Territory, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and seats reserved for women and non-Muslims, as specified in Article 51 of the Constitution; The Commission shall annually publish disaggregated data of registered men and women voters in each National Assembly and Provincial Assembly constituency highlighting the difference in number of registered men and women voters; The Presiding Officer may, at any stage on the polling day during or after the polling, prepare and send a special report to the Returning Officer and to the Commission if he has reason to believe that women voters have been restrained from exercising their right to vote based on any express or implied agreement; A political party shall encourage women to become its members; A political party when making the selection of candidates for elective offices, including membership of the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies, shall ensure at least five per cent representation of women candidates.