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Islamabad, July 05, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Provincial Assembly of Sindh, in collaboration with the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), organized a roundtable discussion on ‘Electoral Reforms’ in Karachi on Wednesday. The event was held with the support of UN-Women Pakistan and UNDP. Distinguished guests, including Ms. Rehana Laghari, Deputy Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Dr. Shahida Rehmani, Secretary of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, Ms. Mahnaz Akbar Aziz, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Dr. Nafisa Shah, Former Secretary Caucus, and Senator Rubina Khalid, among other dignitaries, graced the occasion with their presence.
During the roundtable, Secretary WPC, Dr. Shahida Rehmani, shed light on the vital role of women in politics and the challenges they face. She emphasized that women parliamentarians exhibit remarkable dedication to legislative work, surpassing their male counterparts. The diligence and contributions of women in politics deserve recognition.
During her address, Honorable Mehnaz Akbar Aziz highlighted the pressing need for reforming the electoral system to enhance its fairness, transparency, and effectiveness. She presented a comprehensive set of recommendations that aim to address the existing challenges and strengthen democratic practices in the electoral process. Furthermore, Senator Rubina emphasized the importance of amending Section 47 to ensure a more robust framework for electoral procedures.
In parallel, Dr Nafisa Shah, Former Secretary Caucus, emphasized the need to disrupt patriarchal politics and create meaningful space for women in the political arena. She highlighted the importance of challenging existing power structures and norms to foster a more inclusive and representative democracy. Dr Nafisa Shah’s insights shed light on the necessity of transforming the political landscape to enable women’s active participation and influence.
The key objective of the roundtable was to provide a platform for parliamentarians to deliberate on the opportunities and challenges for women’s meaningful participation in the political process. Further, parliamentarians deliberated on practices and policies of political parties concerning female parliamentarians and political workers as well as reducing the gender gap on the electoral roll. The panellists emphasized the pivotal role women play in strengthening democratic norms and fostering peace in society.
UNDP-SELP gave a presentation highlighted overall trend in the gender gap on the electoral roll over the years. The presentation focused on identifying key challenges to enhancing CNIC and voter registration for women and other gender minorities. This event served as an invaluable opportunity for female parliamentarians to share their experiences, struggles, and collaborate on strategies to promote the empowerment of women in leadership positions. The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of Pakistan remains committed to advancing gender equality and empowering women in all spheres of life. The roundtable on Electoral Reforms is one of the many initiatives undertaken by the caucus to support this noble objective.
For more information, contact:
Secretary,
National Assembly of Pakistan
Automation Centre, National Assembly Secretariat,
Parliament House, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9221082-83
Fax: +92-51-9221106
Email: assembly@na.gov.pk
Website: www.na.gov.pk
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