Accord to support women’s participation in polls signed

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women and Aurat Foundation have signed an agreement to support women’s participation in general elections in four districts of the province.

“Under the agreement, the Aurat Foundation is providing support to the KP Commission on the Status of Women in four districts including Peshawar, Kohat, Swabi, and Bannu for the upcoming general elections of 2018," Said Afzal, programme officer of Aurat Foundation, told a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club.

Under this agreement, he said, Aurat Foundation would provide technical assistance to KPCSW to constitute district committees on the Status of Women (DCSWs) under Article 8-E.

He added that the DCSWs would help women in the target districts understand the KPCSW Act 2016, the Election Act 2017 as well as Pakistan’s electoral system. All activities under this agreement are funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Aurat Foundation is determined to use this opportunity to increase women’s participation in the upcoming election,” he added.

Under the agreement, he said, the Aurat Foundation had organised training sessions to the members of KPCSW, DCSWs and civil society organisations to enable them to monitor pre-election activities, and improve people’s knowledge about the importance of women’s participation in the electoral process.

Shaheen Quraish, chairperson DCSW Peshawar, appreciated USAID’s support initiative and said it would help to increase women’s participation in the electoral process and preserve their right to participate.