LAHORE, Dec 21: Women are still under-represented in decision-making positions despite reservation of 60 seats in the National Assembly, 17 in the Senate and 128 in the provincial assemblies.

The chief election commissioner of Pakistan, Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan (retired), made this statement while addressing a training workshop on “Gender Responsive Policy Analysis”. He said that though much had already been done for achieving gender balance in Pakistan, what needed to be looked at was how more could be done.

One must reject the approach of “looking good” and target at “achieving good”. Gender equality is the basis of justice and democracy.

Men and women can each contribute different but complimentary skills and styles that enrich democratic politics. What is required is not simply a “sharing” between women and men in the existing context but transformation of the relationship and institutions, he said.

The CEC said that the key manifestation of gender inequality at domestic and individual levels needed thorough discussion and corrective measures. Gender equality, particularly in relation to control over resources, has been a subject of concern at national and international levels.

“We are all too familiar with arguments raised and backed by research that illustrate the glaring discrepancies between women and men’s access to and control over economic resources — from allocation of national budgets to the control of financial and other resources at domestic and individual levels.”

He listed the recommendations made by various international and national fora to alleviate the problem, and emphasized the need for making women more “visible” within national statistics, particularly in respect of their labour force participation in formal and informal sectors.

Another way could be effective reduction of the productivity gap between the genders through education and training. It was necessary for the creation of a gender-sensitive environment to provide policy measures for greater participation of women in decision-making positions, enhance their impact on the legislature and acknowledge the importance of training and useful role of women, he said.

Considering ways of helping women MPs in their efforts to make an impact in the parliament, specially through assistance in practical familiarization and through an agreement between the government and the civil society to work together in this regard and effective use of media for supporting gender equality, could effect a change, he said.

To be content with ambitious statements, resolutions and speeches in seminars and conferences would never close the gender gap.

It is a fact that women at the grassroots are still unaware of their rights and needed to get extensive training before they could make any significant contribution to reducing the gap. The election commission, on its part, has taken steps to improve the situation.

The Balochistan Election Commission is being headed by a woman while the Punjab has a woman working as the joint provincial election commissioner.

Finally, laws may be assessed from a gender point of view and appropriate amendments suggested for more effective representation of women in the electoral process, he said.

The chief election commissioner expressed the hope that the workshop would come up with recommendations for betterment of the situation.