Minority, women’s rights: Representatives selected for joint working group

Will help parliamentarians, civil society on issues

PESHAWAR: Representatives are being selected for a joint working group of parliamentarians and civil society organisations formed to protect the rights of women and minorities.

The group has been formed by Democracy Reporting International (DRI), an organisation that aims to promote democratic governance across the world.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, DRI K-P Coordinator Khalfan Khattak said, “Khwendo Kor Programmes Director Gulalai has been nominated for the women’s rights affairs of the group,” he said. “All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement Chairman Haroon Sarbdiyal has been nominated to highlight the rights of Hindus.”

According to Khattak, a senior member of FATA Youth Forum will deal with the youth affairs.” The chairpersonship of the joint working group has been handed over to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Nasreen Hayat by Minister for Labour and Mineral Development Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli. A meeting was held in Peshawar last week to discuss the group’s aims and objectives.

Working group

Khattak added the joint working group will serve as a platform for routine communication between lawmakers and civil society members. “It will focus on issues pertaining to civil and political rights of women, minorities and the youth,” he added.



According to the coordinator, the working group will bring together parliamentarians and work on achieving consensus on bills regarding women, youth and minority members.

“This will prevent resistance when such bills are presented in the assembly,” he said. “It will also help address technical loopholes in drafts and bills.”

Citing Tahirkheli, she said there are bills that were pending due to technical flaws.  “The treasury bench tries to get legislations approved from the provincial assembly,” he said. “But sometimes the bills are hanging in the balance in the law department.” She added the bill on domestic violence is still pending. “The group will also enable a variety of stakeholders to coordinate awareness raising efforts on such issues,” said Khattak.

Role of DRI

He added DRI will carry out capacity-building workshops for provincial lawmakers. In this regard, a delegation of women lawmakers –  including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Amina Sardar, parliamentary secretary to the chief minister for women empowerment, Dina Naz, and special secretary to chief minister for minority affairs – will visit Lahore on December 16.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th,  2015.