Prospects & Challenges of Women’s Participation in Governance: A Paradigm Shift

Abstract

Scholars have developed some gender development approaches focusing development issues of women in different ages. All these are developed on experiment basis or reaction of socio—economic inequity, events or occurrences. Emergence of these approaches follows a chronology of time and space and for minimizing the limitations of previous one; the next new approach is evolved. But, in the Islamic construct, gender equity approach is built into the ideology. Islam judges gender equity from the view point of natural configuration of human’s physiological and psychological entities and differentiated role allocation of their social relationships. But, regarding human being, Islam diminishes differentiation between men and women. Rather, women enjoy benefits in this regard more than one degree to men. Review from secondary research documents in respect of women’s participation in development in this present study makes it clear that in spite of taking and implementing various development oriented plans, policies, action- oriented programs, their presence in different sector’s governance is yet to be improved at desired level. Actually, the differentiated role allocation of men and women in social construct is much more natural. The social role of men and women is complementary to each other. Equity means facilitating men and women in performing their complementary roles not overlapping in their role playing. If do so, role conflict raises which is harmful for healthy organization. Anyway, denying this natural equation of men’s and women’s role allocation, thinkers are doing a mistake repeatedly. Islam defines men’s role as instrumental authority on the other hand, women’s role as expressive authority. It does not mean that Islam deny women’s external authority but restricts on it as if expressive authority is undone. So, Islam gives priority on first and primary role of men and women for natural development of society. This study will help to explore this naturalistic approach which is consistent very much with the human natural disposition.

Keywords: Women’s Participation, Governance, Challenges, Paradigm Shift