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🇵🇰 CSS Gender Studies · subject
CSS Gender Studies Gender and Governance Syllabus
The Gender and Governance syllabus for CSS Gender Studies in full: 2 chapters and 5 topics, every one listed below, plus 51 Gender and Governance flashcards with answers.
Gender and Governance syllabus: all 2 chapters
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.
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Governance and Political Participation
2 topics- Defining Governance
- Suffragist Movement
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Women in the Political Process
3 topics- Gender Issues in Women as Voters
- Gender Issues in Women as Candidates and Representatives
- Impact of Political Quota in Pakistan
CSS Gender Studies Gender and Governance flashcards — 51 questions with answers
What is the literal/etymological origin of the word 'governance'?
It derives from the Greek verb 'kubernao' (to steer/pilot a ship), used metaphorically by Plato, which passed into Latin as 'gubernare' (to direct/rule).
How does the UNDP define 'governance'?
The exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country's affairs at all levels, comprising the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate interests, exercise rights, meet obligations and mediate differences.
What is the key conceptual difference between 'government' and 'governance'?
Government refers to the formal institutions and actors of the state that hold authority; governance is the broader process of governing that includes the state, civil society and the private sector, plus the rules and interactions among them.
What are the three main sectors/domains involved in governance?
The State (political/governmental institutions), Civil Society (citizens and NGOs), and the Private Sector (the market/business). Good governance requires balanced interaction among all three.
List the eight characteristics of 'good governance' as defined by the UN/UNESCAP.
Participation, Rule of Law, Transparency, Responsiveness, Consensus-orientation, Equity and Inclusiveness, Effectiveness and Efficiency, and Accountability.
What does it mean for governance to be 'gendered' or for 'gender-responsive governance'?
It means governance institutions, policies and processes recognise and address the different needs, interests and power positions of women and men, ensuring equal participation, representation and benefit, rather than being gender-blind.
In good governance, what is the difference between 'equity/inclusiveness' and 'participation' as they relate to gender?
Participation means all groups (including women) have a voice in decision-making directly or through representatives; equity/inclusiveness means all members, especially the most vulnerable, feel they have a stake and opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being.
What is 'gender mainstreaming' in governance?
A strategy (defined by ECOSOC 1997) of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action—legislation, policies or programmes—in all areas and at all levels, so that gender equality becomes a central goal of governance rather than an afterthought.
Distinguish between the 'descriptive', 'substantive' and 'symbolic' dimensions of women's representation in governance.
Descriptive = the numerical presence of women in office; Substantive = acting for women's interests through policy; Symbolic = what women's presence signifies for legitimacy and inspiring future participation (terms from Hanna Pitkin's typology).
What is the difference between 'practical gender needs' and 'strategic gender interests' in governance/policy (Moser framework)?
Practical gender needs arise from women's existing roles (e.g., water, food, health) and do not challenge gender hierarchy; strategic gender interests aim to transform unequal power relations (e.g., legal rights, equal pay, ending violence).
What does 'political empowerment' of women mean?
The process of increasing women's capacity to participate in, influence and hold accountable political decision-making—through voting, contesting elections, holding office and shaping policy—thereby gaining control over decisions that affect their lives.
What was the 'suffragist'/women's suffrage movement?
The organised campaign, mainly 19th–early 20th century, demanding the right of women to vote (and stand for election) in public elections, forming part of the first wave of feminism.
What is the difference between a 'suffragist' and a 'suffragette'?
Suffragists (e.g., the NUWSS under Millicent Fawcett) pursued the vote through peaceful, constitutional, lawful means; suffragettes (the WSPU under the Pankhursts) used militant, direct-action and sometimes violent tactics.
Which country/territory was the first in the world to grant women the right to vote in national elections, and when?
New Zealand, in 1893, was the first self-governing country to grant women the national right to vote.
Who founded the militant Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in Britain and in what year, and what was its slogan?
Emmeline Pankhurst (with daughters Christabel and Sylvia) founded the WSPU in 1903; its slogan was 'Deeds, not Words'.
Who led the constitutional National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) in Britain?
Millicent Garrett Fawcett led the NUWSS (founded 1897), which united suffragist groups and campaigned through peaceful, lawful means.
When did British women first gain the right to vote, and what was the age qualification?
The Representation of the People Act 1918 gave the vote to women over 30 who met a property qualification; equal suffrage at age 21 (same as men) came with the Equal Franchise Act 1928.
When did women gain the right to vote in the United States, and through which constitutional amendment?
In 1920, through the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited denying the vote on the basis of sex.
At the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention (USA), what document was adopted and who were two key organisers?
The 'Declaration of Sentiments' (modelled on the Declaration of Independence) was adopted; key organisers were Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. It is considered the start of the organised women's rights movement in the US.
In British India / pre-Partition, when did women gain limited voting rights and the right to be elected to legislatures?
Limited provincial franchise for women began in the 1920s; the Government of India Act 1935 broadened women's franchise and allowed women to be elected, reserving seats for them in provincial legislatures.
Show the other 31 Gender and Governance flashcards
After the creation of Pakistan, in which constitution was universal adult franchise (including women) guaranteed?
Universal adult suffrage including women was provided in Pakistan; it was constitutionally entrenched with adult franchise, fully realised under the 1956 Constitution and reaffirmed in the 1973 Constitution.
Who was a leading figure in the Pakistan women's movement associated with founding APWA, and in what year was APWA founded?
Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan founded the All Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) in 1949, a pioneer organisation for women's rights and welfare.
What is meant by the 'right to vote' as a dimension of citizenship for women?
It is the formal political right (active franchise) entitling women, as equal citizens, to cast a ballot and choose their representatives—foundational to their political participation and equal citizenship.
What is the difference between 'enfranchisement' and 'electoral turnout' for women?
Enfranchisement is the legal grant of the right to vote; turnout is the actual proportion of enfranchised women who cast their votes—legal rights do not guarantee high participation.
What is the 'gender gap in voting' (turnout gap)?
The difference between the percentage of eligible women who vote and the percentage of eligible men who vote; in Pakistan women's turnout has historically lagged behind men's.
What barriers prevent women in Pakistan from voting as voters?
Lack of CNICs (national identity cards), patriarchal restrictions and family/tribal 'bans', distant or unsafe polling stations, lack of separate women's facilities, illiteracy, mobility constraints, and informal local 'agreements' barring women from voting.
Under Pakistan's Elections Act 2017, what legal provision addresses constituencies where women are barred from voting?
Section 9 empowers the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare the result/poll of a constituency void if women's turnout is less than 10% of total votes polled in that constituency, deterring agreements that bar women from voting.
What is the role of the CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card) in women's voting in Pakistan?
A valid CNIC is required to register on the electoral rolls and to vote; the historically large gender gap in CNIC registration directly reduced the number of registered women voters.
What is the approximate gender gap in registered voters in Pakistan, and why does it matter?
There has been a gap of roughly 10–12 million fewer registered women voters than men; it matters because it suppresses women's collective electoral weight and political influence.
What does NADRA stand for and how is it linked to women's voting?
National Database and Registration Authority; it issues CNICs that form the basis of the electoral rolls, so NADRA registration drives directly affect how many women can register and vote.
What is 'proxy voting' or 'family voting' as a gender issue for women voters?
The practice where male family members influence, dictate, or cast votes on behalf of women, undermining the secrecy and autonomy of women's votes even when they are formally enfranchised.
How can women function as a 'vote bank', and why are parties sometimes reluctant to mobilise them?
Women constitute nearly half the electorate and can swing results if mobilised as a bloc; some parties under-invest in mobilising women due to patriarchal norms, informal bans, and the cost of providing separate facilities.
Name two measures used in Pakistan to increase women's voter registration and turnout.
NADRA mobile registration units/relaxed documentation drives to issue women CNICs, and the ECP/Section 9 requirement of a minimum 10% female turnout per constituency (plus separate polling booths and awareness campaigns).
What is the difference between a 'candidate' and a 'representative' in the electoral process?
A candidate is a person who stands/contests for elected office; a representative is one who has been elected and holds office, acting on behalf of constituents.
Under Pakistan's Elections Act 2017, what minimum percentage of general seat tickets must each political party award to women candidates?
At least 5% of general seat tickets must be awarded to women candidates by each political party.
What is the difference between women winning seats on 'general/direct' seats versus 'reserved' seats in Pakistan?
General seats are won through direct election by contesting open constituencies; reserved seats are filled by proportional representation from party lists based on the seats a party wins—so reserved-seat members are indirectly elected, not directly chosen by voters.
What is the 'glass ceiling' as it relates to women as candidates and representatives?
An invisible barrier of structural and cultural obstacles that prevents women from rising to top elected/leadership positions despite their qualifications, keeping them concentrated in lower or symbolic roles.
List three obstacles women face when contesting elections as candidates in Pakistan.
High cost of campaigning and lack of independent finances, patriarchal party structures denying winnable tickets, harassment/character attacks and violence, limited mobility, and the 'electables' culture favouring established (often male) power-brokers.
What is 'tokenism' in the context of women representatives?
Including a small, symbolic number of women to appear inclusive without giving them real power, resources or influence over decisions—presence without substantive participation.
What is the 'critical mass' theory of women's representation, and what threshold is commonly cited?
It holds that women representatives can meaningfully influence policy and institutional culture only once they reach a sufficient proportion—commonly cited as around 30%—rather than being isolated tokens.
Who was Pakistan's (and the Muslim world's) first woman Prime Minister, and when did she first take office?
Benazir Bhutto, who became Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1988—the first woman to head an elected government in a Muslim-majority country.
Who was Pakistan's first woman Speaker of the National Assembly?
Dr. Fehmida Mirza, who served as Speaker of the National Assembly from 2008, the first woman to hold that office in Pakistan.
What is the difference between women's 'presence' in assemblies and their 'effective participation'?
Presence is being seated as a member (numbers); effective participation is the ability to speak, legislate, sit on key committees, control budgets and shape decisions—presence does not automatically yield influence.
What is a 'gender quota' in politics?
A measure that sets a minimum number or proportion of women for candidate lists or legislative seats, used as affirmative/positive action to increase women's representation.
What are the three main types of electoral gender quotas?
Reserved seats (a number of seats set aside for women), legislative/legal candidate quotas (law requires parties to field a quota of women candidates), and voluntary political party quotas (parties self-impose targets).
Which type of quota does Pakistan primarily use for women in legislatures?
Reserved seats—a fixed number of seats reserved for women in the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies, filled by proportional representation from party lists.
How many seats are reserved for women in Pakistan's National Assembly, and what is the total house size?
60 seats are reserved for women in the National Assembly out of 336 total seats (266 general and 10 for non-Muslims).
What percentage of the National Assembly do women's reserved seats represent, and how are they allocated?
60 of 336 seats, roughly 17%; they are allocated to parties through proportional representation in proportion to the number of general seats each party wins in the National Assembly.
Trace the change in women's reserved seats in Pakistan: what happened to the quota under the 1985 lapse and the 2002 LFO?
Reserved seats existed under the 1973 Constitution but the reservation lapsed in 1988 (after expiry of the provision in the mid-1980s), leaving very few women; General Musharraf's Legal Framework Order (2002) restored and raised reserved seats to about 17% (60 in the NA), greatly increasing women's numbers.
What reservation exists for women in Pakistan's local government system?
Local government laws reserve a significant share—commonly 33%—of seats for women in union councils/local bodies, dramatically expanding grassroots women's representation since the 2001 devolution.
State two positive impacts and two criticisms of the political quota (reserved seats) for women in Pakistan.
Positive: a sharp rise in women's numerical presence and legislative output (pro-women laws, e.g., on harassment, acid crime, honour killing). Criticism: reserved-seat members are nominated by party leaders so are seen as beholden to parties rather than voters, may lack independent constituencies, and the quota can foster tokenism instead of winnable general-seat tickets.
CSS Gender Studies Gender and Governance FAQ
What is in the CSS Gender Studies Gender and Governance syllabus?
CSS Gender Studies Gender and Governance is split into 2 chapters: Governance and Political Participation and Women in the Political Process. Together they contain 5 topics.
How many chapters are in CSS Gender Studies Gender and Governance?
2 chapters, containing 5 topics. The largest chapter is Women in the Political Process, with 3 topics.
Are there flashcards for CSS Gender Studies Gender and Governance?
Yes — a 51-card Gender and Governance deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.