ISLAMABAD: The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of the National Assembly, on Wednesday hosted a session on Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS).

Held under Secretary Dr Shahida Rehmani, the session focused on formulating a strategic approach to integrate gender-sensitive measures into public service and policy implementation, aligning Pakistan’s efforts with international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Titled “Federal Budget FY2025-26: Promoting Gender-Responsive Budgeting,” the session was moderated by constitutional expert Zafarullah Khan and organised in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, said a press release issued here.

In her opening remarks, Dr Shahida Rehmani underscored WPC’s commitment to gender-inclusive policy reforms and highlighted the Gender Responsive Budgeting Strategy 2023, which outlined a framework for integrating gender considerations into national budgets.

MNA Barrister Aqeel Malik, provided an update on the Gender Mainstreaming Committee, now chaired by MNA Dr Nafisa Shah. He detailed the committee’s collaboration with government departments to incorporate GRB into policies and its ongoing analysis of gender-related budget data to ensure equitable allocation of funds in the upcoming Federal Budget FY2025-26. He also advocated for equal development funds for MNAs holding reserved seats.

The session brought together parliamentarians, representatives from the Omar Asghar Khan Foundation, civil society members, and academia. MNA Kesoo Mal Kheal Das highlighted the multifaceted roles of women in society, acknowledging their contributions as homemakers, professionals, politicians, and public representatives.

Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, President of the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF), shed light on challenges faced by women in her constituency, including lack of representation among female voters, absence of ownership rights for divorced women, economic dependence, and limited access to healthcare and education.

MNA Dr Nafisa Shah emphasised the Gender Mainstreaming Committee’s efforts in promoting gender-responsive budgeting. She noted that formal recommendations had been sent to the finance ministry and planning and development ministry, urging the inclusion of gender-focused budgetary allocations in the FY2025-26 federal budget. She also voiced concerns over disparities in constituency development funds and called for intervention at the Prime Minister’s office to address the issue.

Participants maintained that the session served as a crucial platform for advancing gender-inclusive financial policies, reinforcing the role of gender-responsive budgeting in achieving women’s empowerment and fostering national and international gender equality objectives.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2025