Pakistan

National AssemblySenate

National Assembly

Historical data on women

Data on women’s right to vote and to stand for election, the date at which the first woman entered parliament, and female Heads of State or Government

Women's suffrage

Date of independence For countries that become independent after 1940
1947
Women’s right to vote
Women’s right to vote Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1937
National or local Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Detail of restrictions Suffrage: Restrictions detail
literacy, income and tax payer
Notes Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
According to the government of Bangladesh, the women of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh attained suffrage after the Government of India Act (1935) was entered into force in 1937
Women’s right to vote Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1947
National or local Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Notes Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
Prior to independence, under British administration, women were granted the right to vote under the government of India Act passed in 1935 under the conditions that they were literate, had an incomde and paid taxes. This right was confirmed at independence.
Women’s right to vote Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1956
National or local Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
The 1956 Republican constitution provided for universal suffrage.
Women’s right to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1946
National or local Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Stand for Election : Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Detail of restrictions Stand for Election: Restrictions detail
Women must have an income; pay taxes and be literate in order to stand for election.
Notes Stand for Election: Additional Notes on right to stand for election
According to information provided by Pakistan, women had the right to be elected to parliament for the first elections held under the Government of India Act in 1946 under certain conditions. Very few women qualified as voters.
Women's right to stand for election Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1956
National or local Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Stand for Election : Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes Stand for Election: Additional Notes on right to stand for election
The 1956 Republican constitution provided for universal suffrage.
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament Year in which first woman entered parliament
1947
First woman speaker
Year of first woman speaker Date at which, for the first time in the country's parliamentary history, a woman became Presiding Officer of Parliament or of one of its Houses.
2008