KARACHI: The representatives of federal ministry of human rights, women development department, provincial commissions and parliamentary bodies on women development came together to plan collective efforts to strengthen coordination, data collection, analysis and dispensation of justice to survivors of gender-based violence.

The decision came during the 18th meeting of the Inter Provincial Ministerial Group hosted by the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), Sindh Commission on the Status of Women (SCSW) and UN Women Pakistan on Tuesday.

The group is the only inter-provincial coordination body having the potential and effectiveness for supporting women’s empowerment and gender equality agenda through sharing of experiences, fostering peer learning, and developing strategies to fulfil the country’s national and international commitments.

The group is structured to ensure representation of ministers and secretaries of women development departments from four provinces, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and the chairpersons of the National and Provincial Commissions on the Status of Women.

On the occasion, NCSW chairperson Nilofar Bakhtiar said that they needed to strengthen women’s representation and participation across party lines and provincial commissions. “The NCSW is fully committed and determined to uniting and working with the government and women’s machinery across the country to bring about positive change in the situation of women and girls in Pakistan.”

Chairperson of SCSW Nuzhat Shirin said that Sindh had been at the forefront of progressive laws and policies especially for women.

“For this purpose, it is vital that the bureaucracy and different departments working for women get united,” she said.

The representatives called for concerted actions towards implementing provisions in the Constitution of Pakistan and the international treaty of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) focusing on ensuring women’s voice and visibility through efforts at the national and provincial levels.

Country representative of UN Women Pakistan, Sharmeela Rassool, highlighted the need for engaging the whole population in order to boost economic growth and sustainable development.

She added: “We need accelerated and focused efforts to uplift women of Pakistan. Engaging 50 per cent of the population to its fullest potential is no longer an option — it’s an imperative.”

Muhammad Hassan Mangi from the ministry of human rights encouraged the machinery at the federal and provincial levels to support the data collection for Pakistan’s international reporting commitments.

All the provincial departments and commissions shared information on the progress achieved during the year 2021 and updated the participants on future plans with a view to enhancing coordination and collaboration among women machinery of the country.

The NCSW secretary, Arif Baloch, said that the strategic plan developed by the NCSW was the result of consultation with all provincial and national stakeholders and machinery.

“The way forward for all stakeholders is to focus on improving the status of women in Pakistan and using platforms and forums such as these for coordinated efforts,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2021