Nayra Eshal
Women form about 48.54% of the total population of Pakistan. The role of women cannot be denied as far as the constitution of a democratic society is concerned. Their inclusiveness in the decision-making of the political parties is imperative for nurturing the democratic process. Currently, a few women are seen as active in political parties. There’s a need to create a conducive environment for ensuring their participation in political processes. From time to time there are legislations relating to women’s rights. The basic purpose of this is to make the world realize that there are laws for safeguarding the rights of women and to secure them from any kind of exploitation. For instance, in 2006 the Pakistani government passed the Women’s Protection Act, removing rape from the jurisdiction of Islamic law and placing it under the country’s criminal code.
Similarly, there are ample legislations aimed at empowering women and strengthening on enabling them to be considered as a respectable segment of society. The factors that are responsible for lacklustre growth in portraying the soft image of women in Pakistan are enumerated as extremism, political violence, sexism, misogyny, lack of opportunities, and limited education and training avenues. Despite all these constraints, there are a few women of substance that merit mentioned as Benazir Bhutto was the first woman prime minister of a country in the Muslim world. Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousaf Zai was also a Pakistani lady.