Women In Parliament: Investigating The Role Of Women Parliamentarians In Pakistan (2008-2013)

Abstract

The primary focus of this study is to investigate if the women parliamentarians of the 13th National Assembly have played a substantive role in the promotion of women rights in Pakistan. Based on the analysis of parliamentary debates and the legislative business of the house, this study argues that the women parliamentarians have adequately contributed to raising the gender-sensitive issues in the lower house of the parliament. The findings demonstrate that women legislators proved exceptionally progressive members of the House owing to their relative contribution to the legislative interventions regarding the women's concerns. The paper contends that the 13th National Assembly period (2008-13) has witnessed important contribution offemale parliamentarians.