Women, Politics, and Linguistic Violence

Abstract

There is a history of women exclusion from major centers of power, including the political arena, not only in developing countries but also in developed countries where women were given the right to vote much later than men. Likewise, in Pakistan, women, like other walks of life, were poorly represented in politics and on political forums. (Siddiqui, 2014). One of the major reasons for this discriminatory exclusion is the metanarrative about the role of women in the societies of South Asian countries which restricts
the movement of women only to the domestic chores. This paper critically analyzes the significance of women's participation in national politics as a means of decision-making. Over the period there is a gradual increase in the visibility of women in the political sphere, especially through reserved seats. However, the women who manage to reach parliament are treated discriminately by their male colleagues. This paper discusses the challenges faced by women parliamentarians on the basis of gender and focuses on the
linguistic violence against them, including slurs and abusive language, leading to serious psychological and professional consequences for them. The paper offers some doable recommendations to reduce/eliminate linguistic violence against women parliamentarians to create an enabling environment for them to demonstrate their full potential to play a constructive and meaningful role in the sphere of politics.