Women’s commissions face leadership gaps and staff shortages, committee told

The Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming raised serious concern over the continued vacant leadership posts at the National Commission

Islamabad: The Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming raised serious concern over the continued vacant leadership posts at the National Commission on the Status of Women and the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, stating that the delays affect the functioning and continuity of these two important bodies.

The committee met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of MNA Dr Nafisa Shah and received a detailed briefing from the Acting Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women about its work, legal powers and major problems.

The chairperson expressed concern over the continued delay in appointing permanent chairpersons for the National Commission on the Status of Women and the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women. She said the appointments should be made without further delay under the applicable law so the commissions can properly perform their responsibilities.

The committee was also informed about a serious shortage of staff and vacant approved posts in the National Commission and other provincial women’s commissions. Members also discussed a lack of basic facilities, pension benefits and suitable incentives for employees.

The committee stressed that the commissions need enough staff, money and proper institutional support to carry out their work.

The Acting Chairperson explained that the National Commission on the Status of Women was established under the National Commission on the Status of Women Act 2012. Its responsibilities include reviewing laws and policies affecting women, monitoring their implementation, advising the government on reforms, conducting research and raising public awareness.

Dr Nafisa Shah said the performance of the commission should not be judged only by the number of studies, recommendations and meetings it conducts. She said the real measure should be whether its work produces improvements in the lives of women.

The committee called for stronger follow up of recommendations made by the commission. It recommended that the National Commission keep a complete record showing which ministries received its recommendations, what responses were received and whether the recommendations were implemented.

The committee further recommended that the commission submit an annual report on implementation to the National Assembly or the committee so that parliamentary oversight can be strengthened.

The committee also called for stronger cooperation between the National Commission and provincial commissions. It recommended regular meetings, sharing of information and joint work on issues affecting women across provinces.

The committee asked the Ministry of Human Rights to work with the National Commission and provincial commissions to improve their staff, financial resources and institutional capacity.

It also recommended better systems for receiving and following up complaints about violations of women’s rights. These systems should be easy to use, transparent and based on clear timelines.

The committee further called for greater public awareness about the commissions’ work and asked them to introduce measurable targets and regular reports to show how effective their work has been.