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ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP):The gender gap on Pakistan’s electoral rolls has narrowed from 11.8% in 2018 to 7.1% in 2025, reflecting the Election Commission of Pakistan’s sustained efforts, Secretary Omer Hameed Khan said Thursday.
Speaking at a project board review meeting under the Pakistan Legislative, Electoral, Digital Governance and Empowerment (PLEDGE) initiative, Khan noted that women’s voter registration has outpaced men’s over the past five years, with registered women increasing by 27% compared to a 17% rise among men.
He said progress was achieved through four-phased campaigns for women’s national identity cards and voter registration, while a fifth phase is underway in 62 districts where the gender gap remains above 10%.
UNDP will support this phase by launching activities in 15 districts from January 2026, aiming to facilitate identity cards for 25,000 women.
Citing a recent FAFEN report, Khan said the commission is enrolling an average of 7,599 new voters daily, with women outnumbering men in the trend.
He added that the Election Commission has introduced a Gender and Social Inclusion Framework (GMSIF) after stakeholder consultations, making it one of the first electoral bodies in the region to do so with UNDP support.
A legal and technical expert has been engaged for the initiative, while a modern Election Monitoring and Control Centre has also been established with UNDP’s assistance.
A dedicated gender desk is functional at the centre to support marginalized groups. The commission has also strengthened its social media presence to raise awareness, counter fake news and address misinformation. Information materials have been introduced in Braille, 3D formats and sign-language videos to assist persons with disabilities.
Khan said a major initiative has been launched to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence in the electoral process. He added that thousands of awareness sessions nationwide helped draw young people into the process, contributing to a notable rise in youth turnout during the 2024 general election.
The meeting also reviewed progress on project initiatives undertaken over the past year and discussed the proposed strategy and priorities for 2026.
UNDP Resident Representative Dr. Samuel Rizk, speaking at the event, said the partnership with the Election Commission of Pakistan is highly significant and pledged continued technical support under the PLEDGE initiative from 2025 to 2029. At the conclusion of the meeting, Rizk presented the 2025 PLEDGE report and commended the commission’s efforts.
In closing, Secretary Khan thanked UNDP and other partners, reaffirming the commitment to continued collaboration for building a comprehensive electoral system.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Samuel Rizk, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Mahmood Khan, Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS), Asim Khan Goraya, Development Director of the British High Commission, Islamabad, for Governance and Human Capital Development, Sim Waldeck, and other distinguished guests.