Like all the women in her town, Naeem Kausir, a 60-year-old former headmistress and her seven daughters are forbidden from voting by their male elders. Although voting is a constitutional right for all adults in Pakistan, some rural areas in the socially conservative country are still ruled by a patriarchal system of male village elders who wield significant influence in their communities. "A system is prevalent in Pakistan where women are not allowed to exercise their rights. If she wants to use her rights, a woman has to first seek approval from her family members,” explains legal expert Fatima Tu Zara Butt.