Achi news desk-
As a governmental structure, the Pakistani system is thus built more on political parties rather than independent candidates. Such parties range from dynastic, populist, new, secular – a multitude of types, qualities and manifestos. And like political parties, they all have a branch network. It is never about the ministers or the MNAs, but about so many different, diverse individuals who work to form one cohesive unit. These look like individuals who work under the MNAs, supervise them, collect data, carry out tasks delegated to them, and much more. They could be citizen volunteers whose views help reform the party’s goals. Or the heads and strategists of the campaign that ensure victory for the party.
Such a concept is also specially called decentralization of power. Although on the surface it seems to put a political party at a disadvantage by expanding its influence, the weakening of responsibilities down the ladder tends to allow these parties to work relatively more efficiently. On a surface-level feasibility analysis, the more people on the ground, the faster it is to survey, analyze, deduce and implement ideas. This time efficiency is inadvertently linked to long-term party cost savings. Along with this, devolution allows political parties to harness local efforts within their communities. It is also a way to educate individuals on politics, by allowing less powerful party members to mix within the common voter base. Take, for example, the NDI’s 2011 Political Party Development Programme, where individuals committed to creating a more inclusive system. Almost 57% of these participants were young people, the future voter base, allowing over 10 political parties to conduct a grassroots survey. As a possible correlation, the 2013 elections, for now, had the largest number of voters in Pakistan.
Over ten years down the lane, the roots of the political system, although growing increasingly youth-centric, have not been fully explored from a feminist perspective. Having more women present concerns ranging from the Aurat The March manifesto to working conditions is not a particularly new idea, but it needs a nuance that the current system lacks to implement. Empowering more women into the lower rungs of the political party ladder helps in more ways than one.
It is an understatement to say that it is difficult within the country for women to enter politics. Whether it’s social scrutiny, the stubbornness of a field historically dominated by men, or dynastic hierarchies, we rarely see women in the higher-ups. Case in point, the new Sindh cabinet: despite having 13 members, Azra Fazal Pechuho was the only woman sworn in. In order to address this, access to female policy makers must be made more accessible. The decentralized system, due to high recruitment, provides easier entry points for politically inclined individuals. The usual threats of politics are ignored in the face of the availability of women of your status, your class and your local area. This familiarity draws them in.
Apart from the upper class, educated and privileged women, who form a minority within the country, the nation includes a majority of women either working in the informal sector, with little or no higher education, who find it difficult. to venture into the political system while juggling everyday life. Not only should wanting to bring about mobile change be a reason to meet directly with party leaders and make waves, but the principle of voicing your concerns should be maintained. Local party efforts are focused on such women – those who stand on the fringes of their society, who now have a closer view of the political system.
To continue, having only a handful of privileged individuals present the views of 49% of the population is ineffective and selective at best. Promoting policies such as the Traws-Fil, or quotas in the Assembly, although all necessary and important steps for the future, do not do much to help the minorities at local level in the short term. And humans, as we know them, are short-term thinking beings. They would be more concerned about their children walking to school safely, rather than having a penalty review. So the idea of ​​devolution here, allows local decisions throughout the country to be included, rather than just the strongest spokesperson. From creating more job opportunities to better working environments in specific areas, the small steps help provide a safer path for women.
The goal of all this, like most goals for women-in-politics-in-Pakistan, is to allow for greater inclusivity and empowerment of these individuals. At a time when the growth of women in politics has stagnated, and only a few select and financially privileged individuals rise up the ranks – it can be said that they were born into those ranks too – it calls for more of the middle and lower class to step in. After all, most gender grievances with the state lie within such sectors of the community, which most women political leaders fail to address. , because of their disconnection. Once political parties focus their efforts to attract women towards the grassroots of their cause, and give them a position on the lower rungs of the ladder of power – be it as councillors, campaigners or surveyors, it’s a small change, but one that leads to more. development. The idea of ​​allowing easier access to a portion of your population within a difficult field, allows those who have historically been marginalized to be motivated by their efforts. Politics, according to optics and a general point of view, is a progressive and exciting field, in which those who are included are considered with special respect. To take advantage of this surprise, by allowing more women in, parties not only allow their manifestos and campaigns to be oriented towards feminist causes, but as most parties move to adopt this change in targeting devolution, it brings cumulative campaigning for such issues. On another note, it is only when these women step on the lower rungs, that they have the opportunity to rise to the higher ones, and actually gain authentic power that will be a catalyst for immediate change. Political parties are powerhouses of influence, funds, voices and change. They should be used as such.
