IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN PAKISTAN: THE CASE OF QUOTA-BASED LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM
Keywords:
Local Government, Women’s Empowerment, Quota System, Social Capital, Expressive Social Capital, Instrumental Social Capital.Abstract
Innovation and experimentation in political system is considered a positive step, particularly, when the intention is to bring democratization at grassroots level. However, its configuration in a society needs a thorough examination of elements of local culture that are detrimental to the process. The introduction of quota system for women in the Devolution Plan of Pakistan is one such prominent example. This is a novice and bold step taken for the empowerment of women which gives them 1/3rd representation in government at local, provincial and federal levels. In order to determine whether the quota- based system for women’s participation in the local government really contributed to their empowerment, 21 qualitative interviews and two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with male and female members of local government in Swabi and Karak Districts were conducted. The study looked for contextual problems in introducing fast-track quota system to give equal representation to women in local government of Pakistan. Using the concept of social capital as lens to interpret the empirical evidence, the study finds that the policy failed to dismantle traditional networks and vested interests operating at the local level. Social links of women is performing the expressive purpose of social capital in doing domestic chores, child rearing and providing support to male family members. They are alienated completely to form networks to bridge the gap with power structure that could perform the instrumental purpose of real empowerment. Hence, the policy resulted either in supporting the existing structure of power relations or lead to solo flights of female representatives who opted to fight against the posed barriers.
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