Four strong women head human rights mechanisms in Pakistan

Islamabad : With the appointment of Rabiya Javeri Agha as Chairperson National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), human rights mechanisms in Pakistan are now headed by four strong passionate women leading the efforts to change and improve the human rights situation in the country.

Besides Rabiya Javeri Agha as NCHR Chairperson, the Ministry of Human Rights is currently led by Federal Minister Shireen Mazari, Nilofar Bakhtiar is the new Chairperson of National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and Afshan Tehseen Bajwa heads the National Commission on the Rights of Children (NCRC).

The tweet of the new Chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha celebrates this fact and says that “4 women are heading the human rights machinery in Pakistan. Women working together to make a positive impact on the human rights ecosystem in Pakistan.”

Talking to The News, Rabiya said that the new post would indeed be a challenging task considering the resources available and the gap in the appointment of Chairperson. She expressed hope that the women heads would work in unity to achieve the cause of promotion and protection of human rights in the country.

The announcement of the appointment of Rabiya Javeri Agha as NCHR Chairperson and six members of the Commission was made on Thursday by the President Dr. Arif Alvi’s office after approvals from leader and opposition leader of the house and appointment from the Parliamentary Committee in which all three political parties unanimously selected Rabiya Javeri Agha as Chairperson NCHR.

Other members of the Commission include Zafarullah Khan as member from ICT, Nadeem Ashraf (member from Punjab), Anis Haroon (member of Sindh), Tariq Javed (member from KP), and Prof Farkhanda Aurangzeb (member from Balochistan). The president also approved the appointment of Manzoor Masih as a minority member.

Under the National Commission for Human Rights Act, 2012, the NCHR has created a board for promotion, protection, and fulfilment of human rights as provided in the Constitution of Pakistan and the international treaties. The post of NCHR Chairperson was vacant since July 19, 2019.