ISLAMABAD: Coalition for Inclusive Pakistan (CIP) has stressed upon the federal and provincial governments and legislatures to take effective measures to protect the political and electoral rights of the marginalised groups including women, persons with disabilities and transgender persons.

CIP – a coalition of 170 Pakistani organizations working for the rights of women, persons with disabilities, and transgender persons – put forward the recommendations for inclusive electoral reforms here Friday at a press conference.

Highlighting the recommendations in the National Press Club Syeda Imtiaz Fatima, chairperson CIP said that the aim was to enhance the electoral and political participation of women, persons with disabilities and transgender persons.

The recommendations called for enhanced women’s political and electoral participation, CIP demanded to launch voter education campaigns in the areas where female voter turnout remained low during General Election 2018.

The CIP demanded the Parliament to reform the method of election on seats reserved for women and non-Muslims in National and Provincial Assemblies to ensure equitable regional representation.

Currently, most of the legislators elected on these seats represent only provincial capitals or a few major cities.

CIP also recommended binding political parties through amendments in the Elections Act 2017 to ensure 33pc women’s representation in organisational structures of political parties at all levels.

CIP also demanded to increase the minimum limit for women representation in candidates for general seats of national and provincial assemblies from 5pc to at least 10pc. For persons with disabilities political and electoral participation, CIP demanded reservation of seats for them in legislatures.

Moreover, it recommended Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure that all polling facilities are accessible for persons with disabilities. CIP also urged the political parties to establish wings for persons with disabilities and transgender persons on the pattern of women wings.

To improve transgender persons’ political and electoral participation, CIP demanded the implementation of the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding registration of transgender persons in letter and spirit.

In this regard, CIP members called for constituting district committees to facilitate transgender persons acquiring NICs. CIP also urged ECP to separately provide the number of transgender voters in the country and to include transwomen (trans feminine) in female voter lists and transmen (trans masculine) in male voter lists.

It has been demanded that harassing women or transgender persons be declared cognizable offence under section 509 of Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2021