Gender and Governance: Assessing Women’s Role in Public Policy Formulation in Pakistan

Abstract

This thesis discusses the structural, institutional and policy issues that inform women participation and influence in the formulation of Pakistani public policies. This thesis employs a qualitative research method and thorough examination of policy documents, institutional practices, and secondary sources, the research determines deep-rooted patriarchal norms, male-dominated political and bureaucratic systems, restricted access to resources as the main factual limitations to women turning to the sphere of governance. It also points out notable policy loopholes, including poor enforcement of gender structures, lack of accountability, and failure to have gender responsive plans, which lead to the long-term gender policy gap in the country. Although institutional initiatives as well as legislative quotas have increased the number of women in the political arena, their effectiveness is still minimal because of the social norms, the ability of the elite to control the political arena and the lack of institutional encouragement. The study concludes that meaningfully include women in government, policy implementation and institutional responsiveness needs to be strengthened and socio-political transformation on a larger scale needs to be done so that the practice of gender-biased decision-making can be overcome in Pakistan.