The Gender of Justice — Where Law Meets Lens: Unveiling Gender Bias in the Constitution

Abstract

The Constitution of Pakistan, enacted in 1973, commits to the principles of equality and democracy. Yet, through its language and structure, it continues to reflect and reinforce a deeply gendered vision of citizenship, leadership, and legal personhood. Masculine-coded terminology dominates references to power and authority, while women and gender minorities are relegated to symbolic, familial, or exceptional roles. This constitutional exclusion is not incidental—it is structural, historical, and deeply embedded in the way legitimacy itself is constructed.

This project seeks to challenge and transform that exclusion. It aims to introduce and advocate for the Equal Access to Leadership Bill, a constitutional amendment mandating gender-inclusive language across all references to leadership and authority. While recognizing that constitutional reform requires more than legislative drafting, to shift the narrative and attitudes, considering that the project adopts a holistic strategy: participatory consultations with parliamentarians, civil society, and legal experts; and documentary campaign to shift public narratives.

Grounded in feminist legal theory, an analysis of world constitutional experiences, and Pakistan's own political history, the project envisions constitutional language not simply as grammar, but as power. By rewriting who is seen, who is named, and who is imagined as a rightful bearer of authority, the project aspires to democratize both the text and the spirit of Pakistan's foundational law.

Ultimately, this initiative is not merely about reforming words. It is about restoring political subjectivity to those historically excluded, and about creating a constitutional order where leadership is not assumed to be male, but open to all citizens as a matter of right, dignity, and democratic principle.