AS the general election approaches, much remains to be done to increase support for women candidates — especially those who hail from areas where the female population has little access to opportunity.

Recently, Ali Begum, a 63-year-old veteran bureaucrat from Parachinar in Kurram Agency, announced she would contest the general election as an independent candidate.

As a tribal woman, she has taken on the responsibility to represent the concerns of her people who have struggled without fundamental rights for decades.

In a male-dominated parliament, elected newcomers like Ali Begum would have to demonstrate commitment and leadership qualities.

However, as the only woman working in planning and education at the Civil Secretariat Peshawar in the 1980s, she has had years of experience navigating male-only spaces.

A victory might inspire younger women to enter politics, especially in conservative districts where most seldom leave their homes.

Backtrack to 2013, when in an unprecedented move, two independents, Badam Zari (Bajaur) and Nusrat Begum (Lower Dir — in KP) dared run for office from areas where women were banned from voting.

Despite having lost, their candidature spotlighted the aspirations of women from conservative regions.

Indeed, independents are challenged by drawbacks such as shortage of campaign funds and the practice of vote adjustment between parties decided upon by male leaders.

Still, as women fight to get a seat at the table, the ECP must push political parties to nominate them for general seats to enhance gender mainstreaming.

Most importantly, the votes of women and the under-30 youth electorate could become key breakpoints in this election.

Political survival, therefore, is best guaranteed by satisfied voters whose concerns are not discounted.

If next-generation women leaders and the youth are archetypes for democratic change, then, it would be pertinent to point to Jamaat-i-Islami’s clever campaign in KP to enlist a million women voters.

It may be based on political expediency but is certainly replicable when the goal is to increase legislative space for women.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2018