Enfranchising women: NADRA signs agreement with Aurat Foundation

Nadra says organisation is working to register women in rural areas to promote their social and political rights.

ISLAMABAD:

National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has signed an agreement with women’s rights NGO Aurat Foundation to register women in less-developed areas before the 2013 general elections.

Nadra and the NGO have signed a memorandum of understanding to encourage women to acquire Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) in 15 districts in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

Nadra Deputy Chairperson Tariq Malik told The Express Tribune that the organisation is working to register women in rural areas to promote their social and political rights. “Female registration increased by 74% during the last three years. NADRA has so far registered over 37 million women,” Malik said.

The agreement aims to provide grants to local NGOs to mobilise resources so they can work in coordination with Nadra. Malik said that he was optimistic that Aurat Foundation will greatly help Nadra register women in marginalised areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2011.