Women’s greater participation in political process stressed

LAHORE: South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-Pk) organised a convention on the topic of ‘Women Voices for Electoral Reforms, Inclusive Governance and Climate Mitigation’ at a local hotel on Tuesday.

Delegations from all over Pakistan including far-flung areas such as Gilgit Baltistan, remote areas of Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces attended the convention in which speakers emphasised the need for women’s greater participation in the political process to meet the growing economic, environmental and societal challenges.

PPP MNA Dr Shahida Rehmani, Secretary Women Caucus in the Parliament, PMLN MNA Shaista Pervaiz Malik, Secretary General Haqooq-e-Khalq Party Dr Ammar Jan, In-charge Political Wing Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore Aneela Mahmud, Rubina Jamil, General Secretary All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Khawar Mumtaz, ex-chairperson National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and Director SAP Pakistan M Tahseen addressed the convention.

The speakers were of the opinion that electoral reforms had contributed towards women participation in politics with their greater representation in the parliament, the provincial assemblies and in the local governments. However, they said, a lot more still needs to be done keeping in view the challenges being confronted by the society at large and the women folk in particular.

In her address, Dr Shahida Rehmani said that climate change has impacted women the most, keeping in view their responsibilities towards their families. The growing inflation and squeezing income have multiplied the problems of average and poor families in the country and women being the central figure of a family, have suffered the most.

Shaista Pervaiz Malik praised the SAP-Pakistan project “Jamhooriat Aur Ba-Ikhtiar Aurat” (Democracy and empowered women). The programme has contributed in raising political awareness among women, she said.

Khawar Mumtaz said participation of women in the political process is imperative. She called upon women to raise voice against structures in political parties. Pakistan needs to do more to include the deprived sections such as transgender, physically challenged and other weak sections of the society in the process of nation building.