Provision:
Full Participation of Women in National Life
Steps shall be taken to ensure full participation of women in all spheres of national life.
Meaning:
Article 34 commits the State to promoting gender equality by enabling women to participate fully in political, social, economic, and cultural life. It recognises that a nation cannot progress unless women are equally included in its institutions and decision-making processes.
This Article reflects Pakistan’s constitutional acknowledgment of women’s rights as fundamental to national development.
Application:
When the State reserves seats for women in Parliament, promotes women’s education and employment, or ensures protection against workplace harassment, it is fulfilling its duty under Article 34.
Policies that empower women—like maternity benefits, equal pay laws, or leadership quotas—also align with this Article. Systemic exclusion or cultural barriers to women’s participation can be challenged as violating this constitutional principle, even if indirectly.
