Progress in closing the voter registration gender gap in Sindh has slowed dramatically, raising concerns of stagnation as 23 of the province’s 130 Provincial Assembly (PA) constituencies still exceed the legally mandated 10 percent threshold, according to data from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released on 3 February 2026.
A report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) today highlights a considerable overall improvement since the 2018 general elections, when a staggering 66 PA constituencies-representing over half the provincial total-failed to meet the legal standard for female voter inclusion.
By the 2024 general elections, a concerted effort had reduced this figure to 31 constituencies (23.8 percent), marking substantial, albeit uneven, headway in addressing the disparity. This represented a drop of 35 constituencies from the previous electoral cycle.
However, the momentum has waned in the post-2024 period. Only eight additional constituencies have managed to bring their gender gap below the 10 percent mark, lowering the total number of non-compliant areas to the current 23, or 17.7 percent of the province. This modest change suggests that progress is faltering in constituencies where disparities have proven most resistant to change.
As it stands, 107 of Sindh”s 130 PA constituencies are now compliant with the legal requirement. The persistence of the gap in the remaining areas points to deep-rooted structural, administrative, and sociocultural barriers that continue to impede women’s equitable participation in the electoral process.
The continued non-compliance underscores the need for robust institutional action as mandated by the Elections Act, 2017. Section 47 of the Act places a clear joint responsibility on the ECP and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The ECP is required to publish disaggregated voter data and implement “special measures” where the gender disparity surpasses 10 percent.
These measures involve NADRA expediting the issuance of National Identity Cards (NICs) for women and the ECP conducting targeted campaigns to enrol them as voters. Consistent implementation of such initiatives, including NIC facilitation drives and community outreach, is deemed critical to reviving the downward trend in Sindh”s gender gap ahead of the next general elections.