Gender development: ‘Women’s share in elections must increase’

Democracy can not be strengthened without it, conference participants say.

LAHORE:

The government is eager to increase women’s participation in the policy making process. It has also increased the budget for women’s development, Minister for Population Welfare Zakiya Shahnawaz said at a conference on Tuesday.

The conference on Effective Participation of Women in Local Governments Election was organised by the Strengthening Participatory Organisation Pakistan. Women’s rights activist Mehnaz Rafi, Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Faiza Malik, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s Amna Ulfat, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Sadia Sohail Rana and SPO regional head Salman Abid were among the participants.

The speakers called for increasing the participation of women in the local government polls as it would help resolve their problems and strengthen the democratic system.



They said democracy could not be strengthened without ensuring active participation of women in the electoral process.

The minister for population welfare said the government was committed to resolve women’s issues and increase their participation in politics on priority basis.  Several steps had been initiated in this regard, she said.

The government was keen to include women in the development process and empower them, said Shahnawaz.

The minister urged women to vote responsibly so that competent local leadership, that would play an active role for women’s development, could come to power. She said the government would devise a comprehensive strategy for women’s development in collaboration with civil society.

Provincial Election Commissioner Mahboob Anwar said that the Election Commission of Pakistan had always tried to accommodate women in the electoral process and would continue do to do so in the future. He encouraged women to participate in the elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2014.