Women Commission

The position of Punjab Commission on Status of Women chairperson remains vacant for more than three years

Nearly every day, there are reports in the media that shows lack of gender justice in our society resulting from neglect and discrimination women face in almost all spheres of life. The functioning of the Punjab Commission on Status of Women, the statutory organisation set up in 2014 to ensure removal of injustices against females, is being hindered due to lack of chairperson and members for more than three years. The position has remained vacant after the provincial government removed the previous chairperson in May 2019. Under the rules governing the commission, it should have nine members to be appointed by the government, but these appointments too have not been made. The commission is to have an executive committee, consisting of its chairperson and three members, to supervise the implementation of its decisions and recommendations, but this too has not been formed.

The delay in the appointment of members of the commission and formation of the executive committee has rendered the commission largely ineffective in carrying out its functions to ensure gender justice. The commission did a commendable job from 2014 to 2019. Besides imparting training to thousands of Nikahkhwans and introducing laws for the betterment of women in the province, it had published a considerable number of policy reviews and recommendations after a painstaking study of international rules and regulations aimed at bringing about improvement in women’s lives. None of these studies has been attributed to the commission.

The commission works with financial assistance from government agencies and international organisations. The want of the chairperson has badly affected its finances as the chairperson’s signature is mandatory for obtaining financial help. Since most projects are funded by international bodies, they cannot be launched for the lack of chairperson. International funding has reportedly stopped due to this reason. The commission had collected reliable data on gender issues in Punjab, but financial constraints have led to the stoppage of this work. The government needs to reverse the present state of affairs.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2021.

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