Transgender’s Political Representation in Pakistan: A Pathway to Inclusive Democracy

Abstract

While research on political representation worldwide is abundant, transgender political representation in Pakistan remains a largely neglected area of research within studies focused on democratic inclusion. The Transgender Persons Act of 2018 was a step forward in this regard. However, transgender people are disadvantaged by systemic barriers to political representation in legislatures and local government. The research explores these challenges in the paradigm of Pluralism through a study of socio-legal context, cultural norms, and political structure shaping the lived experiences of transgender political candidates within Pakistan. This study uses a qualitative research methodology based on the data obtained from semi-structured interviews of politicians (from mainstream and right-wing political parties), transgender activists, and officials at the Election Commission Pakistan (ECP). A thematic analysis grounded in the Pluralism of these interviews shows continuous discrimination and social stigma as well as ineffective enforcement of the laws, thereby restricting full participation in political activities by transgender persons. The findings call for a policy focus on addressing these gaps, including options to provide reserved seats and quotas in favor of transgender communities during elections at local councils and legislative bodies. The study contributes to a growing body of literature about political inclusion through proposed policy options based on the collected qualitative information to inform future efforts.