April 1, 2003	Tuesday	Muharram 28, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 31: Men parliamentarians have not yet accepted the presence of women in the National Assembly, as they are not being given opportunities to play an effective role in the assembly proceedings.

This was the viewpoint jointly shared by the women parliamentarians, representing Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Q, and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), at a forum “Women in Parliament-Overcoming Barriers”, Organized by the Good Governance Practice Community of the United Nations Development Programme on Monday.

Ms Fauzia Habib of PPP said despite the commendable role played by the women during the Pakistan Movement, they were not being accepted in parliament.

“We are not given time to speak in the National Assembly and even if some one succeeds in getting the micro phone, she doesn’t accord due respect”, the woman parliamentarian said.

She said, as far as 1973 Constitution was concerned, it had accepted equal rights for women, however, due to lack of its implementation and introduction of certain controversial amendments, womenfolk were being neglected.

Illiteracy and mortality rates are still high among women, Federal Public Service Commission is yet to earmark a certain quota for women in the public sector and rate of violence against women is on the rise, she said.

She said patriarchal society was the major factor behind the ever-increasing sufferings of the women especially in villages. She said, the Election Commission should be more independent and an impartial person should be made head of this institution.

Ms Raheel Qazi of MMA said in parliament it was all about how vocal you were to grab an opportunity to let other people know about you comments, hence, women needed to assert.

So far, the role of women MNAs had been significantly dismal, and none of them spoke of the overall welfare of womenfolk, she said.