March 25, 2002	Monday	Muharram 10, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, March 24: Pakistan National Commission on the Status of Women (PNCSW), a statutory body formed by the present government, has demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan declare an election as null and void if there was evidence of large scale non-participation of women in candidature and voting.

The PNCSW, established through an ordinance by the President Pervez Musharraf on July 17, 2000, has stated in its first report on the status of women, that there was need for review of all laws and policies that hamper women’s effective participation in the political process.

The PNCSW had received complaints with regard to impediments to women’s participation in local bodies elections during the local government elections in selected districts of NWFP only.

The PNCSW has demanded that where women were not free to participate in the elections process, the election should be declared null and void and re-election be ordered.

The PNCSW also demanded that loudspeakers in mosques should not be allowed for propaganda against women’s participation in elections.

The PNCSW in its report noted with satisfaction that when the issue was taken up with the Election Commission and the NWFP government during the local government elections, the NWFP government issued directives to the respective district administrations to ensure such incidents did not recur.

The commission also wants constitutional amendment to ensure 33 per cent reservation of general seats for women in the national and provincial assemblies through direct elections as well as in the senate.

The commission, after analysing the role of women in politics and decision-making, has noted that the last decade had seen qualitative and qualitative increase in activism focussing on enhancing women’s share in decision-making at all levels including the family, community and other structures of social and political organizations.

It noted that efforts of civil society organizations for bringing attitudinal change at the grassroots level had achieved a breakthrough when the government fixed 33 per cent representation for women in local governments. “The reservation of 33 per cent seats in loca