ISLAMABAD: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure the provision of all facilities to women among the Tirah Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

The commission took serious notice of reports regarding procedural barriers faced by women among the Tirah IDPs, particularly single women, widows and women-headed households, in accessing registration and humanitarian assistance.

In line with its mandate under the NCSW Act 2012, the commission expressed deep concern that the current registration process is reportedly cumbersome and disproportionately affects vulnerable women who often lack documentation, mobility or male support.

It noted that in emergency and displacement contexts, such barriers risk excluding those most in need of immediate protection and relief.

Of particular concern is the reported requirement of a No Objection Certificate (NOC), involving a minimum processing period of 30 days, for organisations seeking to extend assistance.

In humanitarian situations, delays of this nature undermine timely response and compromise access to essential services, including shelter, food security, healthcare and protection, the commission observed.

The commission has formally urged the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to review and simplify the IDP registration process, establish women-friendly and mobile registration mechanisms, streamline or waive NOC requirements during emergency phases, and ensure coordinated action among relevant departments to prevent the exclusion of eligible women due to procedural hurdles.

The NCSW reiterated that women’s access to relief and rehabilitation is not discretionary but a constitutional and human rights obligation.

The commission said it stands ready to extend technical and policy support to ensure that all response measures remain gender-responsive, inclusive and consistent with constitutional guarantees of equality and protection.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2026