Gender Committee seeks early appointment of NCSW, Punjab Women Commission heads

ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 (APP): Chairperson of the Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, Dr. Nafisa Shah, MNA, has expressed serious concern over the continued delay in the appointment of Chairpersons of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women.

Chairing a meeting of the Committee at Parliament House, Dr. Nafisa Shah observed that prolonged vacancies at the leadership level undermined the effective functioning, institutional authority and continuity of the important statutory bodies.

The Committee stressed that the appointments should be made without further delay in accordance with the applicable legal framework to enable the Commissions to effectively discharge their mandates and provide strong institutional leadership for the promotion and protection of women’s rights.

The Committee also expressed concern over the acute shortage of staff and vacant sanctioned posts in the NCSW and other Women’s Commissions, besides the lack of basic facilities, pensionary benefits and appropriate incentives for employees.

It emphasized that adequate financial, human and institutional resources were essential for the Commissions to effectively perform their statutory responsibilities.

Dr. Nafisa Shah paid tribute to the Chairpersons of the NCSW and Provincial Commissions for their commitment to advancing and protecting women’s rights, acknowledging their dedication, courage and resilience in pursuing the national cause.

The Committee received a comprehensive briefing from the Acting Chairperson, NCSW, on the Commission’s legal framework, mandate, performance, operational functioning and challenges. Chairpersons of the Provincial Commissions on the Status of Women also apprised the Committee of their experiences, achievements, institutional challenges and areas requiring greater coordination and support.

The Acting Chairperson informed the Committee that the NCSW, established under the National Commission on the Status of Women Act, 2012, is mandated to promote and protect women’s rights and advance gender equality. Its functions include reviewing laws and policies affecting women, monitoring implementation, advising the government on reforms, conducting research and advocacy, and coordinating with Provincial Commissions and other relevant institutions.

Dr. Nafisa Shah stressed that the effectiveness of the NCSW should not be measured merely by the number of studies, recommendations or consultations conducted, but by their tangible impact on women’s lives.

She called for a more proactive, evidence-based and results-oriented approach, particularly in legislative review, policy monitoring, follow-up on recommendations and gender-responsive governance.

The Committee emphasized the need for stronger institutional linkages between the NCSW and Provincial Commissions through regular consultations, information-sharing and coordinated action on cross-cutting issues.

It also highlighted the importance of strengthening research, data collection, public awareness, complaint-handling and reporting mechanisms, with measurable indicators to assess institutional performance and outcomes.

The Committee recommended that the NCSW establish a comprehensive monitoring and follow-up mechanism to maintain a record of its recommendations, responses from concerned ministries and divisions, and the status of implementation.

It further recommended that the NCSW submit an annual implementation report to the National Assembly and the Committee to facilitate effective parliamentary oversight.

The Committee also recommended establishing a structured coordination mechanism between the NCSW and Provincial Commissions, comprising regular consultations, information-sharing and joint action on cross-cutting issues to ensure a coherent national framework for gender mainstreaming.

It called upon the Ministry of Human Rights, in coordination with the NCSW and Provincial Commissions, to strengthen institutional, financial and human-resource capacity, improve inter-provincial coordination and establish a comprehensive mechanism for monitoring and reporting implementation of recommendations.

The Committee further recommended that the NCSW and Provincial Commissions develop accessible, transparent and time-bound mechanisms for receiving and following up complaints relating to violations of women’s rights, enhance public awareness of their mandates and introduce measurable performance indicators and periodic reporting.

The Committee also approved the minutes of its previous meeting.

The meeting was attended by Ms. Shaista Pervaiz, MNA; Ms. Shahida Rehmani, MNA; Ms. Shahida Begum, MNA; Senator Saadia Abbassi; Senator Rubina Qaimkhani; and Senator Khalida Ateeb, along with the Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights, Acting Chairperson NCSW and senior officers of the Ministry.