A Promising Future for Pakistan: Women in Security

Over the last two decades, the debate on gender roles in security has gained traction, focusing on including women in policy-making circles. Wide-ranging benefits of an enhanced role range from cultivating creativity and innovation to benefiting from exceptional communication and problem-solving skills.

The UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) was adopted on 31^st Oct 2000. This resolution has played a significant role in creating awareness regarding the inclusion of women in area, which can positively impact the fields of peace and security. The resolution reaffirms the vital role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response, and post-conflict reconstruction, and emphasizes the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

In 2010, the European Union also approved its first-ever Gender Action Plan. In 2014, Sweden was the first country to support a feminist foreign policy. Later, France, Mexico, and Canada followed suit to approve such gender-based foreign policies.

The rationale behind involving women in the debate regarding deterrence, arms control, and disarmament is plain and simple. First, they constitute almost half of the world’s population. Nevertheless, most discussions and negotiations related to nuclear disarmament are primarily conducted by men. For instance, in the UN First Committee, women only represent 32 percent of the total delegates – the smallest proportion compared to all other UN committees.

Second, involving an equal number of women in nuclear policies can ostensibly lead to relatively new perspectives in the field, increasing possibilities regarding arms control and more durable outcomes regarding crisis resolution.

History proves that the peace processes in which women have participated and concluded as peace agreements have lasted for more than a decade. The European Union acted as the major neutral facilitator regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). It is pertinent to note here that it was well represented by women as High Representatives for Foreign Affairs and Security Policies. These include Catherine Ashton (Former EU Foreign Policy Chief), Frederica Mogherini (Former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy), Wendy Sherman (Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State), and Helga Schmid (Secretary General of the European External Action Service).

Nevertheless, since the adoption of the WPS Resolution, only 43 percent of the UN member states have adopted national action plans to mainstream gender in their foreign and security policies. Work-life balance is a striking factor that deters many women from seeking a career in the security field. Additionally, women are less likely to appear in panel discussions regarding deterrence, arms control, and disarmament. An experiment conducted by nuclear experts reviewed articles regarding nuclear weapons published by The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and others over one month. It was deduced that 28 articles in a month were mainly written by men.

In Pakistan, however, there is a promising picture. Pakistan is implementing its obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, declarations of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite many challenges, women are being steadily positioned in key leadership positions. Pakistan has had a female prime minister, speaker of the national assembly, governor of the state bank, ambassadors, and other high-ranked officers. Even in the military, Pakistan Army appointed Lieutenant General Nigar Johar as the first ever woman three-star general in Pakistan. In the 1970s, Dr. Aquila Islam, an educationist, and physicist, was the first woman with a Ph.D. in nuclear physics who contributed tremendously to women in science. In the field of cybersecurity, Dr. Fauzia Idrees Abroo is the first female Ph.D. in the Pakistan Armed Forces. In April 2019, Helena Saeed became the first female Additional Inspector General of Police in the country. As of May 2021, according to the Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, Androulla Kaminara, Pakistan has some of the highest numbers of women blue helmets (UN peacekeepers) in the world. Similarly, the first female director of the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) played an essential role in drafting the PNRA ordinance.

There is a history of women working in the National Command Authority (NCA) framework. NCA is responsible for policy formulation and exercises employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organizations. For instance, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar was a member of the NCA as a Former Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs (ACDA) Branch at the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) has employed a good number of female analysts. Likewise, many women are employed as scientists and engineers in the associated scientific commissions of NCA. These women represent Pakistan at the IAEA, OPCW, UNOOSA, and many other international forums.

Various think tanks in Pakistan employ women in leadership, executive, and research-based roles. For instance, think tanks like the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) Islamabad, Center for International Strategic Studies Azad Jammu and Kashmir (CISS AJK), Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh (CISSS), Balochistan Think Tank Network ( BTTN ), Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, Centre for Security, Strategic and Policy Research, and Strategic Vision Institute Islamabad all have women researchers who contribute to the gender-inclusive debate on arms control and disarmament.

Furthermore, there are increasing opportunities for the younger generation of women in the fields of nuclear science and technology, including nuclear medicine, power plants, radiation facilities, research and development, and protection of radiation sources.

In March 2021, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister saluted these women and their contribution to the society and state of Pakistan, stating that at international fora, Pakistan’s voice has always resonated in favor of women’s empowerment and gender equality. Similarly, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the government is taking practical steps for the inclusion of women in the national mainstream with equal opportunities. This gives hope for more women to opt for careers in different fields, including national security, to build a more prosperous, stable, inclusive, and secure Pakistan.