Female voter registration overtakes gender gap down to 7.4%: ECP

ISLAMABAD, Aug 07 (APP):Female voter registration has officially overtaken male registration nationwide, narrowing the gender gap to 7.4 percent, a key milestone driven by a joint campaign with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Election Commission Secretary Omer Hameed Khan said.

The secretary shared these remarks during a meeting with the Women Parliamentarians Caucus, led by Shahida Rehmani and attended by Tahira Aurangzeb, Rana Ansar, and Shahida Begum.

Election Commission Secretary stated that enhancing women’s electoral participation remains a strategic priority for the Commission.

During the 2024 general elections, the number of female candidates rose significantly to 923.

To further institutionalize gender inclusion, the Commission introduced the Gender Mainstreaming and Social Inclusion Framework (GMSIF)—a landmark initiative that has received commendation from the European Union, the Commonwealth, and the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).

Parliamentarian Shahida Rehmani commended the Election Commission’s initiatives, affirming that the Women Parliamentarians Caucus is committed to empowering women and advancing their political participation.

She emphasized the need to further accelerate the registration of female voters and expressed the Women Parliamentarians Caucus’s readiness to support the Election Commission in this effort, including through legal reforms.

Director General Gender and Social Inclusion, Nighat Siddiqi, delivered a comprehensive briefing on the Election Commission’s targeted initiatives. She highlighted coordination with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics through INVR-5, as well as collaborative efforts to implement updated national identity cards. She also noted the nationwide rollout of “one-window operations” for issuing disability certificates, aimed at streamlining access for persons with disabilities.

After the meeting, a consensus was reached for joint action between the Election Commission and the Women Parliamentarians Caucus to advance the women’s voter registration campaign at the constituency level. The Caucus pledged to support the Commission by identifying unregistered women and facilitating their active participation, including through legislative reforms.