For many years now Pakistan’s traditional norms have constrained women to play in essentially auxiliary positions in national security, where they do not have meaningful influence beyond auxiliary assignments. Women have always served as paramedics, doing the work to teach while being journalists to support this male-dominated security order.

Pakistani women have extraordinary endurance during challenges, fighting for education and leadership despite extremist threats.

To accommodate its growing global security needs Pakistan has to bid adieu to its old state-centric approach and devise security strategies that include multiple stakeholders and concentrate on people’s matters. It also translates into a fundamentally sound protective paradigm that will and is already, providing better protection for half the populace and a defense system in tune with reality.

The top hazards of Pakistan’s security situation are multiple and include the issues of terrorism, economic disruption, and domestic matters. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan, during 2001-16, war and terrorism cost Pakistan $118 billion. Gender was hit worst among all demographics in women located in the most exposed position, throughout these security challenges.

It is the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan along with other extremist organizations in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), that intentionally target educating girls. For twenty years, extremist groups have used violence to prevent women from attending school, while destroying schools. For instance, the attack on a girls’ school in Bannu in December 2023 underscores the enduring hostility toward women’s empowerment in these regions.

Pakistani women have had extraordinary endurance during challenges. For some women, although warfare devastates entire regions, they still fight to be able to attend school and to lead in social terms. This is done with Khwendo Jirga through community-based spaces that empower women while providing valuable counter-terrorism methods using active community participation through the PAIMAN Alumni Trust. Hundreds more people stood up to traditional beliefs because Marie’s activism continues to drive them.

Rules of UNSC Resolution 1325 mandate involving women in security and peace operations with meaningful roles.

Rules of Resolution 1325 of the United Nations Security Council mandate countries to involve women in security operations and peace actions with meaning. While Pakistan has implemented two important initiatives to achieve these goals, creating women’s representation in political organizations and passing anti-workplace harassment legislation, it has not reached closure.

Despite their declared importance, little progress has occurred at the community level in implementing legal reforms. Despite limited success in correcting systematic gender inequality, the National Action Plan on Human Rights suffers because societal pushback and shortcomings in implementation combine to create problems.

Certainly, national security is closely interwoven with gender equality and the government should take sight of redefining women’s security role through Pakistan’s policies. Nations that hit gender equality benchmarks have the peace outcomes and economic stability poorer nations constantly pursue, according to science. The utilization of financial resources to resource female education and align with economic agency and leadership skills lies, fundamentally, strategically, and morally. This investment is also going to enable Pakistan to make this investment in strengthening its capacity to respond to multiple security challenges including extremism and climate change.

The framework’s work must break away from the conventional to embrace nontraditional concerns, that is, nontraditional notions of economic security, environmental resilience, and social cohesion. While women already do leading work in these areas, support is still scarce. Aurat Foundation’s “SHE—the Peacebuilder” program demonstrates that women do play a role in basic peacebuilding operations at community levels. An important development step is advancing security measures by admitting these endeavors while integrating them into national strategies.

Cultural restrictions at security institutions and government bodies must be eliminated to ensure women’s active participation in national security.

Cultural restrictions at security institutions and government bodies that do not allow women to participate in national security projects have to be eliminated. Then, public education programs need to be done for the training of law enforcement and military personnel about the gender-specific needs of society to make women active participants rather than passive users in society. Strategic partnerships between government agencies civil society organizations and international entities develop efforts for building an inclusive security system.

An innovative participation of executive leadership coupled with continued dedicated support, is a must. To improve beyond superficial inclusion, Pakistan’s National Security Policy needs to architect gender as an integral part of its operational strategy for its full members of society. The creation of an environment that encourages equal treatment of male contributions versus female contributions is responsible for its enforcement within the IINET Security Policy to remedy present deficiencies.

Integrating gender equality into Pakistan’s National Security Policy is essential for addressing both traditional and nontraditional security challenges.

Restructuring women’s security is Pakistan’s chance to demonstrate its commitment to setting up modern, comprehensive systems of administration. In terms of expenditures, this goal merits the positive effects. Pakistani women’s capacity will be used to reshape the world image regarding progressiveness, and it will also contribute to the development of both equality and security in its progressive future. Currently, the global focus is on finding new opportunities for women’s empowerment.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of Stratheia.

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