ISLAMABAD: Women lawmakers in Pakistan’s National Assembly are increasingly asserting themselves as influential voices in the country’s legislative process, actively contributing to the formulation and advancement of the national policy agenda. Over the course of the second parliamentary year of the 16th National Assembly, female members of the National Assembly (MNAs) demonstrated remarkable initiative by submitting a total of 1,206 agenda items, highlighting their growing role in shaping parliamentary discourse and decision-making.
This surge in legislative activity by women parliamentarians reflects a broader trend of expanding female participation in governance, challenging long-standing perceptions that policy-making, particularly in areas such as economic strategy, national security, and taxation, remains predominantly a male domain. The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) conducted a detailed analysis of these agenda items, revealing that a substantial 72% of the issues raised by women MNAs pertained to critical national policy sectors. These include economic reforms, fiscal policies, security concerns, and governance matters, underscoring the diverse and comprehensive nature of their parliamentary engagement.
Meanwhile, issues related to local constituencies and community-specific concerns made up 18% of the agenda items, demonstrating women legislators’ commitment to addressing grassroots challenges alongside broader national priorities. Interestingly, legislation specifically focused on gender-related matters accounted for only 6% of their contributions, dispelling the common misconception that female parliamentarians primarily concentrate on women’s rights and social welfare issues.
To better understand the scope of women MNAs’ legislative focus, Fafen developed a specialized subject-matter classification system. This typology categorized each agenda item into four distinct groups: national policy, constituency issues, gender-specific legislation, and procedural or cross-cutting matters. The classification was based on official records from the National Assembly’s Orders of the Day and verbatim proceedings, covering the period from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026. This rigorous coding process provided a clear picture of the substantive areas where women legislators are making their mark.
Parliamentary effectiveness is often measured not just by the quantity of participation but also by the breadth of issues addressed. A legislator who focuses narrowly on a limited set of topics, no matter how important, tends to have a more constrained impact compared to those who engage across a wide spectrum of policy areas. The findings from Fafen’s analysis challenge the widespread assumption in public discourse that female MNAs in Pakistan predominantly champion women’s rights and social welfare to the exclusion of other critical issues. Instead, the data reveal that women parliamentarians actively engage with a broad range of policy questions, including economic development, security, taxation, and parliamentary procedures, often in proportions that surpass their focus on gender-specific legislation.
This expanded engagement illustrates that women in Pakistan’s legislature are far from being niche policymakers. They are tackling the same complex and multifaceted challenges as their male counterparts, while also advancing legislation that directly supports women’s rights and social protections. Their contributions signal a significant shift in the political landscape, highlighting the evolving role of women as comprehensive and influential actors in Pakistan’s parliamentary system.
