A special dialogue on the role of women in politics and the role of political parties in the protection of democracy under the program of Jazba by South Asia-Partnership Pakistan Welfare Organization held in a private hotel on Tuesday.
Adviser to CM Law and Parliamentary Affairs Punjab Kanwar Dilshad, Regional Election Commissions Majeed Sharif Dogar, Advocate SC Mubeen Qazi, Waqar Mushtaq from PTI, Aneel Mahmood from JUI, Head of department pak Studies Punjab University Amjad Magsi, Ammar Jaan from HUK, Abdul Wadood from District election commission, Deputy Director South Asia Partnership Pakistan Irfan Mufti and representatives of religious minorities and Transgender and government institutions participated in the dialogue.
Coordinator Program Mehr Gul presented chartered of demand by 11 points, said that to ensure Local government elections should be held immediately in the province of Punjab and constitutional protection should be provided to the local government system. The proportion of seats reserved for women in all federal and provincial assemblies should be made at least 33%.
Moreover, within this quota, seats will also be set aside for religious minorities, persons with disabilities and transgenders. Each political party shall give at least 15 percent of tickets to women for winnable constituencies in the respective national or provincial assembly general seats. Political parties shall bear the financial expenses of their women members for contesting general or specific seats from party funds, and planning campaign, training of women polling staff, provision of teaching/educational materials for voters, local level, the party will also provide support in terms of ensuring support etc, The security deposit for women candidates contesting the elections should be reduced to encourage more women to participate in the elections. Political parties should ensure at least 33% women membership in their party and at least 10% women representation on decision-making committees/positions.
Women staff should be appointed for women voter registration. At least one female enumerator must be included in each team.Separate polling stations for women should be established in rural areas, trained women staff should be posted at the polling stations and special security arrangements should be made as well as facilities like waiting room and toilets should be ensured at the stations. In order to increase the participation of voters in the elections, it is necessary that the Election Commission of Pakistan should take all possible steps to ensure their easy access to the polling stations. Addressing the dialogue, Kanwar Dilshad said that the caretaker government’s job is to conduct elections while Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi is trying to improve every department for which he is working day and night. He said that solving the problems of the common man is not possible without improving the local system, for which we all have to make a joint effort.
At the end of the session all the participants assured their fully proactive role to strengthen the local system and participation of women.
