PESHAWAR, Sept 8: The National Commission on the Status of Women has become non-functional as majority of its members have completed their term.

It is learnt that out of 20 members of the NCSW, about 15 have ceased to hold their posts after completion of their three-year term.

“We informed the government about the situation two or three months back and requested it to select suitable persons so that there should be a continuation in the functioning of the commission,” Chairperson of the commission Justice Majida Rizvi (retired) said.

Speaking to Dawn over telephone, she said majority of the members had completed their term, but since there was no scheduled meeting of the commission in the near future, the situation would not affect its performance.

She added that the secretariat of the commission was intact in the Ministry of Women Development.

Under the law, the commission shall comprise not less than 10 and not more than 20 members.

Only the chairperson, Justice Majida Rizvi, and three other members will continue to work in the commission as they have not completed their three-year term.

An official in the Ministry of Women Development said that the federal government had asked the four provincial governments to send their nominations, which would be finalized by the federal government.

He stated that the government was waiting for the response from the provincial governments after which names of the new members would be notified.

The commission was constituted in August 2000, after the National Commission on the Status of Women Ordinance 2000 was promulgated by the president on July 17, 2000. Through a notification the members and chairperson of the commission were named, who started working from Sept 1, 2000.

Initially, Dr Shaheen Sardar Ali was appointed its chairperson. After her resignation, Justice Majida Rizvi was appointed chairperson last year.

With the formation of a political government last year, a number of women parliamentarians had expressed their desire to become member of the commission.

A member of the NCSW told Dawn that the new selection would be based on political consideration which would hamper the performance of the commission.

In near future the NCSW will submit three reports to the government — annual report for the 2002, recommendations regarding the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979, and employment of women in public sector.