ISLAMABAD: The Gender Mainstreaming Committee on Monday suggested increasing women’s representation in federal and provincial government jobs and highlighted a persistent gender gap in governance.

A meeting of the committee was convened at Parliament House to address pressing concerns regarding the representation of women within the federal government. Attended by key stakeholders and representatives from various sectors, the meeting focused on the alarming statistic that women currently constitute only 6.8 per cent of the total federal workforce, far below the mandated 10pc quota and far behind the 33pc objective.

The meeting was chaired by MNA Dr Nafisa Shah and attended by MNAs Ms Shahida Begum, Aqeel Malik, Syed Hussain Tariq, Khwaja Izhar ul Hassan, and Senator Rubina Qaim Khani.

Participants expressed serious concern over the non-implementation of the women’s quota, which is designed to promote gender equality and empower women in decision-making roles within the government. In light of these findings, the Committee unanimously recommended that the Establishment Division develop a clear policy and action plan to ensure the implementation of the 10pc quota at both national and provincial levels.

“Women’s representation in government is not just a matter of equity; it is essential for effective governance and the development of policies that address the needs of all citizens,” said Dr Nafisa Shah, Chairperson of the Gender Mainstreaming Committee. “We must take decisive action to ensure that women have a seat at the table and that their voices are heard in the decision-making processes,” she added.

In addition to the concerns regarding workforce representation, the committee highlighted the lack of mechanisms within the Federal Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to track the impact of projects and proposals on women. The absence of such tracking measures undermines the government’s commitment to gender-responsive budgeting and the integration of gender considerations into development planning.

The committee called for the establishment of a robust framework to monitor and evaluate the impact of PSDP initiatives on women, ensuring that their needs and perspectives are adequately addressed in development projects.

“Failing to consider the impact of development projects on women not only perpetuates inequality but also hinders overall progress. We must ensure that all government initiatives are designed with a gender lens, promoting sustainable development that benefits everyone,” members stated.

Conclusively, the committee called for an effective mechanism at both the center and in provincial levels to address the fact that out of 25 million out-of-school children, most of whom are girls, which remains among the highest in the world. The Committee recommended that the education emergency focus on out-of-school children and gender disparity as key challenges to be resolved through a whole-of-Pakistan approach.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2025