LAHORE: Participants at a consultative forum on Wednesday stressed the need for greater consultation with stakeholders on improving representation of women and minorities in elected bodies.

They were speaking at a forum on ‘Realising Civil and Political Rights of Women, Minorities and Youth’, organised by Democracy Reporting International (DRI) in collaboration with Punjab Youth Parliamentary Caucus (PYPC).

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan General Secretary I.A. Rehman lamented the regressive trend in women’s political participation, recalling that two women contested general seats from Muslim League platform in Lahore in 1945. He called for an end to structural violence against women and urged the civil society to revive its efforts to improve political participation of women.

Minister Rana Mashhood said the way forward for improving participation of women, youth and minorities was to have transparent political processes and ensuring all citizens were treated equally.

Vickas Mokal, chairperson of PYPC, stressed upon citizens to be more vigilant and hold elected representatives to account for protection of human rights.

Panelists also urged for greater political and civic engagement of youth and promoting platforms for political dialogue among them as an alternative to banned student unions. Youth should be seen as partners in political development of the country, they added.

PML-N MPA Mary Gill said political parties should give 5pc tickets to minority candidates on general seats. She said at least 5pc representation of minorities on reserved seats in all legislative houses, including on local government level, should be required by law.

Earlier, Hassan Nasir Mirbahar, team leader of the DRI project, underscored that consolidation of democracy required realisation of rights of all citizens. For this purpose, parliamentarians and the civil society needed to work together.

The forum also called for an increase in the percentage of seats reserved for women to at least 30pc in line with UN targets, representation of women in decision-making positions within political parties, election management and government bodies and firm measures to eliminate voting restrictions on women.

Other MPAs who attended the forum included Dr Nosheen Ahmed and Shunila Ruth from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf; and Dr Farzana Nazeer, Azma Bukhari, Farah Manzoor, Raheela Khadim Hussain from the PML-N.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2015