LAHORE: Experts from various sectors believe that manifestos of all major political parties fail to discuss issues of women or their rights and demands in an appropriate way.

According to the 2017 census, women make up half of the country’s 200-million population. Already the gender electoral gap stands at 12.5m (Nadra statistics show that out of 97m registered voters, only 43m are women), which shows the government’s incompetence to bring women into the mainstream. It is more distressing because in the 2013 elections, this gap was 10.97m. But this is only about voting. The PPP, PML-N and PTI have not made satisfactory promises to solve women’s problems.

“They especially do not say anything in context with the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Umme Laila Azhar, who works on women’s issues in the informal sector, especially home-based workers. “So, all clauses in their manifestos on women will need to be modified at some point or the other. In fact, the manifestos seem more of a wish list than a proper programme.”

She adds the manifestos were launched at the very last moment when no one had the time to analyse or criticise them. “In a way, the PPP is probably the only party that is a shade better, as their women are really active and have some input in decision-making within their party,” she says.

Some women workers from PTI have complained that they were not consulted with when the manifestos were developed. “But with the PML-N, it is important to note that they actually did some work during their recently ended tenure, including bringing about legislation and framework such as the violence against women centres in Multan,” she says. “But this type of work is yet to be implemented properly and reach the grassroots.”

Economist Dr Nadia Tahir feels the political parties’ attitude towards women is evident by vague and flimsy promises in their manifestos. “Women are obviously not considered equal; they are not given equal status when it comes to contesting polls – most are preferred for reserved seats rather than general tickets,” she says.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2018