LAHORE: The Punjab Commission for Status of Women (PCSW) has been working towards an initiative to facilitate implementation of the Punjab Women Empowerment Package 2012, and the Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014, said representatives of the commission at a networking event on Tuesday.

Both of these mandate at least 33 per cent representation of women on all boards of public sector entities in Punjab. For this purpose, PCSW has engaged women from the private sector and is enabling their placement on boards of public entities.

At this ‘Leadership initiative’ event, PCSW Chairman Fauzia Viqar said women added diversity of thought and problem-solving techniques to the management and culture of any organisation.

The event was attended by government officials and women leaders who had been nominated by PCSW for placement on public sector boards and committees.

The event aimed to provide women leaders with an opportunity to develop linkages with government officials.

A panel discussion on ‘Effectively influencing decision-making in the public sector’ was held through which barriers to inclusion of women in decision-making positions and resistance/acceptance of women as decision-makers in the public sector, were discussed.

Panelists included Asad Rehman Gillani, secretary, energy department, Fauzia Viqar, chairperson PCSW, Fiza Farhan, chairperson of Chief Minister’s Task Force for Women’s Empowerment, and Humaira Shazia, CEO of DIC Limited, a subsidiary of the Packages Group.

Panellists shed light on their experiences serving as directors on various public sector boards, and challenges in implementing quotas for women’s inclusion. Recommendations were also given to enhance the role of women in the public sector.

Fizza Farhan said: “Gender diversity is a business imperative because women bring about a new perspective to boards, and consequently help improve financial performance and corporate governance.”

Humaira Shazia affirmed that having women on boards aided productivity and led to better problem-solving strategies for companies. She further encouraged public sector companies, statutory bodies, autonomous institutions and other public entities to include a greater number of women on their boards.

Asad Rehman Gillani affirmed that having women on decision-making positions also encouraged other women to apply for positions, since their rights and needs are automatically better catered for by women in higher positions.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2018