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In Negotiating Political Spaces: Analyzing Decentralization and Women´s Political Empowerment in Pakistan, Dr. Riffat Munawar examines women´s political empowerment through local government structures in Pakistan. In the recent past, the Musharraf regime in Pakistan undertook steps to increase the participation of women in politics through the inception of decentralization coupled with quota system at national and local levels in the country. The author looks into the nexuses of decentralization and social change, political representation of women in Pakistan´s local government structures and their impact on political culture. Investigating the challenges to women´s political empowerment, Riffat Munawar outlines several recommendations for women in decentralized local politics in Pakistan.

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Dr. Riffat Munawar has a PhD in sociology from the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, University of the Punjab, Pakistan. Her research areas are multicultural societies, sociology of religion, political sociology, gender relations and women empowerment. She has contributed to a number of publications.

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