LAHORE: Politician and TV personality Mehtab Rashdi sat down with women politicians to chart their journeys and what challenges they may have faced in a male-dominated society, on the last day of the Faiz Festival at Alhamra on Sunday.

In the session, titled ‘The Journey of Women in Politics’, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid recalled how she had been brought up to speak the truth and fight for one’s rights, student politics became her stepping stone to mainstream politics and her interest in sports.

She said her family supported her foray into politics that was further boosted after marriage by her father-in-law who was a PPP founding member. After the 2008 elections, he advised Dr Rashid against joining the PPP, saying “there’s no space for us here. Zardari has done to the party what two martial laws couldn’t do to it”, and asked her to consider the PTI. The rest, as they say, is history.

“Women feel it’s difficult, but good work is always recognised; nobody can stop a passionate woman. No politics is complete if the 50 per cent population isn’t represented,” she remarked.

PML-N MNA Dr Aisha Ghaus-Pasha didn’t have a political background and remained an academic and policy analyst for the longest time. As a policy adviser to provincial governments, she recalled, her advice was heard and Shehbaz Sharif asked her to join his cabinet. He managed to convince her saying they needed educated people to turn around the economy. “We need to think about Pakistan beyond party politics. Women’s issues like their representation in labour, assemblies, economy shouldn’t be politicised,” Dr Ghaus-Pasha stressed.

PTI MNA Shunila Ruth’s political career started at Kinnaird College for Women University. As an activist belonging to the Christian community, she propagated gender, religion and general issues of her community, and was all praise for her mentor Dr Yasmin Rashid, who pushed her to enter mainstream politics in 2008 and join the PTI. She shared an anecdote when she was trampled by five men in her house after she had returned from an election campaign. “Since then I have had a phobia of stairs, but I didn’t let it overcome me. I joined politics by choice and because of my passion. The party makes minorities feel safe. Challenges are always there but one has to overcome them and keep going,” Ms Ruth concluded.

Activist Tanveer Jahan, who works for effective women’s political participation, mentioned how women have to daily bargain with patriarchy. “As women enter power politics they start covering their heads to appease patriarchal heads of parties and portray that only a good, virtuous woman can represent other women.”

Before entering politics, women need to identify what needs to be addressed, where to compromise and where not to, she suggested. If in a position of power women can’t liberate and emancipate other women, they can never do it. “Women are always under the microscope, not men. They are judged on their wardrobe instead of skills. Be critical and skilled because men in assemblies are always sitting to undermine you. Set your agenda, communicate, bargain and convey your message clearly!” Ms Jahan maintained.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2022