Unanimity of voice: MPs, civil society for Saarc women alliance

Call for connecting micro-voices with macro-policies at national, regional and grassroots levels

ISLAMABAD: Women parliamentarians and civil society representatives have sought visibility and role in democratisation, decision-making and policy-making processes at regional, national and local levels.

They called upon the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to recognise the South Asia Women Alliance of Community Leaders and focus efforts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We as parliamentarians call upon the SAARC forum to take note of this unanimous demand for the establishment of the South Asia Women Alliance,” the participants said at a strategic dialogue here on Thursday.

The dialogue and advocacy meeting aimed to promote the voice and visibility of women community leaders and comes at a strategic point of time before the SAARC summit planned for November in Islamabad.

“It is high time that we bring the voices, experiences, aspirations, and potential of women community leaders from across the Saarc member states to this regional forum to inform and enrich it,” MNA Shaista Pervaiz Malik said.

The ruling party parliamentarian said she had realised how important this forum was and how critical it was to connect micro-voices with macro-policies.

“It is high time that we help build linkages among community women leaders nationally and regionally,” Malik said.

The session was held to gain from women parliamentarians’ vision for and recommendations to promote and recognise the importance of women’s leadership in decision-making at the grassroots level.

The discussion sought to document parliamentarians’ rich experiences of issues related to participation of women at the community level in policy-making and democratisation processes.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2016.