Ahead of the February 8 nationwide polls, the National Commission of the Status of Women (NCSW) has demanded the election commission to take necessary steps to to facilitate differently-abled girls and women voters.
The state-level body is a statutory body to fight discrimination against women in Pakistan and is mandated to promote and protect the social, economic, political, and legal rights of women as guaranteed in the constitution and in accordance with Pakistan's international commitments.
“This goes without saying that differently abled women are one of the most vulnerable sections of our society as they need special care and support because of their disabilities; facing a risk of being maltreated or harmed, abused, or neglected,” the NCSW secretary Khawaja Imran Raza said in a statement.
“It is within the mandate of NCSW not only to protect their rights but also to ensure their equal rights. This office appreciates that the election commission has successfully firmed up Gender Mainstreaming and Social Inclusion Framework (GMSIF) and reduced the gender gap in electoral rolls from 11.8% to 8.3% (May 2023),” he added.
Advocating his demands for providing adequate facilities, Raza stressed that women with disabilities held equal rights to participate in the electoral process which requires pre-election arrangements and election-day arrangements.
“Previous experience shows that many differently-abled women remained disenfranchised in the electoral process. Making women with disabilities socially and politically inclusive, means making them empowered,” he said.
The NCSW urged the ECP to make necessary arrangements which should not only facilitate the differently-abled girls and women voters to exercise their right to vote freely but also protect and safeguard them from any heedlessness or abuse.
“Provision of facilities like temporary ramps at the polling stations, establishment of special counters, friendly and courteous attitude of the polling staff and giving women with disabilities priority to cast their vote etc. will lessen the barriers. Furthermore, gender sensitivity training of polling staff and security personnel will be the need of the hour.”
Last but not least, you are requested that concerned civil and police authorities in all four provinces, including Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) also be directed to make necessary arrangements for the facilitation, safety and security of women with disabilities as they appear to cast their votes on the polling day, it concluded.
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