May 4, 2005	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1426

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PESHAWAR, May 3: Due to lack of staff, facilities and financial resources, the Women Development Cell (WDC) is yet to become fully functional, official sources told Dawn here on Tuesday. The WDC, established in the provincial secretariat under the social welfare and women development department, will consist of two gender specialists in BPS-18 and one gender analyst in BPS-17. The cell will have a total staff of 19 members, preferably female.

“The cell is facing with shortage of funds. Out of two, one gender specialist is yet to be appointed “, said an official of the social welfare and women development department.

The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government, in September, 2004, had decided to establish a women development cell. Later, in its cabinet meeting, it directed the concerned officials to expedite establishment of WDC by filling the posts of gender specialist and gender analyst, the official said.

“Female officers working in government departments and possessing related experience will fill the posts because appointment of gender specialists and gender analyst through Public Service Commission is a lengthy process”, another concerned official said, adding that the government wanted to establish the WDC other wise funds allocated for the purpose would lapse.

Ms Anila Mehfooz, a government official, would head the cell as Gender Specialist while a second gender specialist was still to be appointed. Ms Tahira Jabeen, a section officer, had been deputed as Gender Analyst but she had been idle for almost a month in absence of required staff and facilities.

Ms Anila was reporting her previous department whereas Ms Tahira had reported to the social welfare and women development department almost a month ago but had not yet received monthly salary, an official told Dawn.

“The cell would act as a coordinating body for various projects already started for development of women. It has not yet started the functions for which it was set up as required staff is yet to be appointed”, said Ms Jabeen.

A gender specialist, a stenographer and a computer operator are yet to be appointed at the cell which also lacks basic facilities like telephone, computer and furniture.

“There are no vehicles with the cell, although its officials would be involved in extensive travelling to conduct meetings, workshops, seminars and provide monitoring support to the provincial and district agencies and governments in implementation of various women related plans like National Plan of Action, National Policy for Development and Empowerment of Women, an official observed.

The WDC, which become functional on April 1, 2005 would coordinate and monitor women development activities under various government and donor’s initiatives in the province. The cell would keep liaison among the provincial and federal governments and donor agencies in implementation of plans.

Gender specialist heading the cell would visit the Northern and Southern regions of the province for supervising and monitoring the women related issues. She would make suitable schemes at suitable places according to the needs of women.

Moreover, planning, organisation and implementation of capacity building initiatives of the women staff is also responsibility of the gender specialists. They, in coordination with gender analyst, would develop projects for conducting studies on women issues in the province.

“In actual terms the cell is not going to do something new; it will just act as a coordinating body working under the social welfare and women development department. It seems me a useless body at the moment”, said an official.

Mr Noorul Haq, secretary social welfare and women development department, said that though there were some problems in appointing the required staff, competent and experienced women government officials would work in the cell.

“There is no fresh recruitment in the official cadre because the officials inducted from the market are usually inexperienced and lack interest in different projects”, Mr Haq said.

Under the Gender Reform Action Plan (Grap), when an initiative is funded by the Asian Development Bank, the federal and provincial governments are required to implement it.

Due to financial constraints, the provincial government dropped an idea of establishing a separate women development department and initiated ‘Institutional strengthening of women development department’ by incorporating a separate WDC in the social welfare and women development department, official sources said.

A total amount of Rs14.402 million was allocated for the first phase of 48 months (Jan, 2005- June 2008). The government has allocated Rs100,000 in the current annual development programme, Mr Shahab said. The Asian Development Bank would continue to provide financial assistance to the project for next five years, he said.