ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: Participants of a conference here on Saturday recommended that women issues must not be isolated from the larger perspective of social justice and states be made gender-responsive.

A three-day South Asian conference on "Transforming Institutions of Power: Towards a Gender-responsive Governance" ended here with a set of recommendations made by participants coming from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Kazakhstan.

During a number of interactive sessions, participants discussed governance agenda from a gender-sensitive perspective. Actions for women's political participation must be coupled with broader political reforms, they said, adding that the state should recognize the diverse interests and needs of women.

Women must be represented in all decision-making bodies at all levels, the participants said. Speaking on the occasion, Kausar S.Khan of Aga Khan University called on the government to strengthen the National Commission on the Status of Women by filling all seats of the commission and giving it more autonomy and budget.

She asked the government to also strengthen the Women Development Ministry to make it more gender-responsive. The state must create public acceptability about the role of women as public representatives, she said, adding that the local government system was a training ground for participation in mainstream politics.

The justice system should be taken to the village level with simple procedures. Jirgas/panchayats should abide by the law of the land, Ms Khan said. The participants were unanimous in their demand that all South Asian countries ensured that state and non-state institutions did not undermine or violate women rights.

With regards to all international recommendations and conditions, especially in the light of increasing impact of globalization on women and the poor, governments must ensure protection and well-being of women and the poor, the participants recommended.

Women Development Ministry Secretary Sohail Safdar, speaking at the concluding session, stressed that collaboration between government and civil society should be enhanced so that women issues could be addressed properly. He also shared with participants the government's initiatives regarding Gender Reform Action Plan that was closely following the recommendations of the NCSW.