PESHAWAR, July 24: A lack of political will and absence of `responsible’ officials for carrying out gender-related activities at the Women Development Cell has rendered the WDC non-functional.

“The performance of the cell is almost nil due to absence of a gender specialist and analysts,” official sources said.

The Women Development Cell, a centre set up in April 2005 to monitor and coordinate the projects initiated for women development in various districts of the province, is without a gender specialist who will be heading the cell. The cell is working under the social welfare and women development department but only auxiliary staff is present at the cell at the moment, officials said.

A female official working on a regular post was transferred and posted as gender specialist at the cell when it was set up in 2005. Some time back, she left the office and went to some other department on deputation. The only gender analyst transferred from the establishment department went on leave.

Official sources said that she faced problems working on gender issues without staff and went on leave about four months ago.

An official, who was not a qualified gender specialist, was transferred to head the cell but soon he was sent back to his department as he failed to understand the nature of work, sources said. “A lack of political will and a lack of interest on the part of the MMA in the women development are also the reasons for the situation at the cell,” alleged an official.