PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Council on Status of Women (KPCSW) and civil society have agreed to strengthen collaboration for elimination of gender-based violence and promoting women participation in politics

A statement issued here said that KPCSW held a meeting with civil society organisations to take stock of July 25 general elections and status of pending pro-women legislation in the provincial assembly.

It said that issues emerging and witnessed in the general elections from women were discussed. The KPCSW informed the forum that it would be launching a report on women participation in general elections as well it was working on a charter of demands for fair representation of women on reserved and general seats to uphold merit.

“The draft domestic violence bill which was prepared after rigorous consultation with civil society is ready and needs to be taken up with the new provincial Assembly,” Neelum Toru, Chairperson KPCSW, said.

Indicating priorities of the commission on pro-women legislation side, she said the commission also intended to follow up on pending enactment of early marriages law, internal women trafficking, Christian divorce laws and review on women ownership rights too. The pending notification of DCSWs and ombudsperson under Harassment of Women at Workplace, 2010 also came under discussion and the civil society conveyed its concerns as to pending status on both the cases.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2018