NCSW to monitor 2018 polls from gender perspective

Islamabad: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has planned to monitor general elections 2018 from the gender perspective.

Under its election initiative, the NCSW will be focusing on areas with no or low female registration and turn outs. Besides that, the commission will be working on different research topics related to women political participation including socio-economic and institutional barriers that they face in terms of obtaining CNICs, voter registration and casting votes. The monitoring will have special focus on women belonging to religious minorities and women with disabilities.

The commission will also facilitate timely action by the relevant institutions to redress systemic weaknesses or complaints. The initiative will lead to a long-term vision and road map document for gender equality in politics and elections.

The commission has already launched this initiative through a dialogue on closing gender gap in electoral rolls and mobilisation of women for active participation in 2018 elections and in the longer term. The dialogue was attended by key government departments, leaders of political parties and civil society representatives.

The NCSW election initiative will be part of Tabeer Consolidating Democracy in Pakistan (CDIP) programme supported by Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI). Talking about these activities, Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz said that the NCSW has formed eight-member Advisory Committee comprising women political leaders, researchers and former parliamentarians. The committee will advise and guide the commission team in its pre-elections, elections and post-election activities.

“Improved political participation of Pakistani women is one of the key priority areas of NCSW strategic plan. Under this initiative, the commission would be working with all stakeholders to achieve maximum results,” she said adding that in addition to urging and facilitating women to vote in the upcoming elections, the commission would also be encouraging women to contest elections. Team lead for Tabeer Mukhtar Ahmed Ali expressed hope that the collaboration would result in improved women political participation in the country.