**Former Lawmaker Calls for Urgent Political Action to Address Pakistan’s Widening Gender Gap**
ISLAMABAD – Speaking at a national forum on gender equality, former National Assembly member and prominent gender rights activist Mehnaz Akbar Aziz delivered a forceful appeal for political leadership to address Pakistan’s deepening gender gap. Aziz’s remarks, made at the National Dialogue on the Gender Gap in Pakistan organized by the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), called for immediate, coordinated action driven by authentic political will.
Aziz warned that Pakistan has “hit rock bottom” in global gender equality rankings, attributing the crisis to entrenched male dominance in parliament, bureaucratic institutions, and political party leadership. She criticized the lack of female representation at all levels of governance, stating that women are “invisible” in crucial decision-making spaces such as the cabinet and parliamentary committees. “No one else will fix this for us,” she emphasized, urging for self-responsibility and introspection within Pakistani society.
Rejecting superficial measures, Aziz called for a comprehensive, politically endorsed campaign for gender mainstreaming. She advocated for the institutionalization of gender-disaggregated data, the implementation of gender-responsive budgeting, and the establishment of transparent reporting mechanisms to enable effective parliamentary oversight and ensure accountability.
Aziz acknowledged recent progress, pointing to the formation of the Parliamentary Committee on Gender Mainstreaming under Dr. Nafisa Shah’s leadership. However, she cautioned that such initiatives risk remaining symbolic unless supported by strong political consensus, determined bureaucratic action, and active youth engagement.
Highlighting the need for local ownership, Aziz remarked, “No donor, no UN body, no IMF will fix our gender gap — this is our fight.” Her speech resonated with civil society leaders, policymakers, and activists present at the event, who viewed her candid assessment as a rallying call for action.
Concluding her address, Aziz called for the creation of a national coalition to break down institutional silos and forge a unified front for gender justice, stating, “We must break the silos and build a coalition for change.”
