WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION: A CASE STUDY FROM KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

Women’s participation through their direct representation in law-making is imperative for their empowerment. The paper evaluates the political participation of women in Pakistan after seventy-five years of its creation as an independent country. The paper has selected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because patriarchal norms are deeply entrenched here. It draws on a study conducted in June 2021-August 2022 from six districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. with the help of 384 women selected by applying the probability method. The findings suggest that less political awareness among women is the fundamental cause of their low political activism. The findings also demonstrate that restrictive social and cultural norms, religious dogmas, and the absence of a vibrant movement upholding a democratic setup are some of the factors restraining women from political participation. The conclusion of the article offers some recommendations for the government and society to work for an increase in women’s political participation.