Pathways to Empowerment: Overcoming Structural and Cultural Hurdles in Women’s Political Engagement

Abstract

This paper examines the socio-cultural vestigial impediments that hinder the realization of political empowerment of women in Pashtun community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. Although constitutional, women are grossly underrepresented in politics and a sophisticated set of patriarchal relations. Using a qualitative research design, collecting data was done through in depth and unstructured interviews with 30 educated and politically interested Pashtun women living in Peshawar, which was chosen through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis found five interrelated thematic hurdles, including near complete lack of autonomy in decision-making, requiring male authorization to engage in politics; a severe lack of access to education, which can be seen as the root cause of empowerment; an omnipresent male domination within political parties preventing women access to useful leadership roles; cultural and religious beliefs that strength and honor can be used to subjugate women; and the appearance of fear of violence, which suppresses any ambition towards politics. Conceptualized by a theoretical approach based on Radical Feminism, the results demonstrate that these obstacles are not disconnected from each other but they create a system that is aimed at controlling resources, space and bodies of women in order to leave them out of power. The research leads to the conclusion that legislative quotas are not enough to be applied to the top-down level without bottom-up strategies at the same time. It, therefore, suggests three radical ways into empowerment; economic and educational independence, reforming institutions in order to produce safe political spaces, and initiating education campaigns to make the difference between culture and religion. The study highlights the fact that the actual political empowerment will be achieved by removing the patriarchal nexus in order to allow the women to become independent agents.

Keywords: Women's Political Empowerment, Political Participation, Patriarchy, Socio-Cultural Barriers, Pashtun Society, Pakistan, Qualitative Research, Radical Feminism