ISLAMABAD, OCT 28 /DNA/ – October 2026: On the second day of PODA’s 19th Annual Rural Women Leadership Training Conference, the Director General, Gender and Social Inclusion, of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), highlighted persistent disparities in voter turnout, noting that some of the largest gaps exist in major urban centres, including Karachi Central and Faisalabad, while Chakwal has one of the smallest gaps. Addressing around 1,000 rural women leaders representing approximately 120 districts, she commended organizations like PODA for their efforts to promote women’s electoral participation. Speakers in the day’s two major sessions emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to address the challenges facing women and girls.
Nighat Siddique said the ECP’s gender-mainstreaming initiatives, including campaigns for women’s national identity cards (NICs) and voter registration, had reduced the gender gap on electoral rolls from 11.8% in 2017 to 6.4% in 2026. However, approximately nine million women remain unregistered. She added that the number of women working in the ECP had increased from 42 to 242. She explained that the Commission established gender complaint desks during the 2024 general elections, deployed female electoral officials closer to their residences and provided gender-sensitive training to 1.4 million election officials. Since November 2022, more than 4,000 youth awareness sessions had also been conducted to encourage voter participation. Accessibility measures, including ramps and postal ballots, were introduced for persons with disabilities, expectant mothers, transgender persons and older voters. DG, ECP said that the Election Commission and NADRA would facilitate doorstep registration through mobile vans. She added that NADRA had allowed identity card registration without a birth certificate or Form-B until June 2027.
Throughout the sessions, numerous women leaders highlighted the considerable work still needed to ensure birth registration, Form-B issuance and access to legal identity documents, including national identity cards. They stressed that many women continue to face barriers to exercising their right to vote freely and without fear. Women leaders included Ome Kalsoom Seyal, Bismillah Iram, Gulshan Bibi, Sahida Irshad, Asif Jamali, Talat Zahid, Nusrat Ara, Zakia Ali, Sabra Asmat, Irshad Safdar, Shamim Akhtar, Sodhi Kohli, Fazeela Bibi, a transgender rights activist, Sajida Hasrat, Umaima Iqrar, Munazza Bukhari, Mehak Butt and Marvi Abida, among many others. They raised questions and highlighted issues faced by women and marginalized communities, urging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to address their concerns and ensure more inclusive and accessible electoral processes.
Nuzhat Shirin, Former Chairperson Sindh Commission on the Status of Women, MNA Sofia Saeed and Shahnaz Kapadia, President of the Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, appreciated PODA’s efforts to provide women and girls with a platform to discuss issues that matter most to them. They recognized the value of translating these discussions into conference resolutions and action plans that participants and partner organizations can pursue throughout the year.
The second major session focused on “Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls: Reality and Remedies – National and Global Best Practices to Stop Violence Against Women and Girls and How to Enhance Rehabilitation.” Prominent women leaders discussed the widespread prevalence of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, which has long been treated as a private matter. The panelists noted that governments are gradually strengthening legislation, while civil society organizations continue to raise awareness and encourage survivors to seek support and justice.
Speaking on the occasion, Mary O’Neil, Ambassador of Ireland to Pakistan, highlighted Ireland’s zero-tolerance approach to violence against women, emphasizing prevention, protection, prosecution, and coordination among institutions. Ms. Ina Lapel, Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan, joined in appreciating the efforts of women’s rights activists and stressing the importance of safeguarding women’s dignity and safety. Both ambassadors acknowledged that domestic violence remains a challenge in their respective countries and underscored the importance of the rule of law, encouraging survivors to report abuse, and strengthening collective efforts to combat gender-based violence.
Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (FOSPAH) and former founding Chairperson of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, appreciated PODA for providing an effective platform where women could prioritize and discuss their concerns. She urged women to speak out firmly against harassment and report incidents, emphasizing that reporting is essential both to secure justice and to establish precedents for the effective implementation of existing laws. She observed that harassment remains underreported.
Fauzaia Viqar explained that workplace harassment laws cover not only incidents within an office but also relevant situations in places where a woman is present or travelling for work-related purposes. She stressed that reporting harassment is crucial to obtaining redress and educating society about women’s rights and the legal remedies available to them.
Shaheena Sher Ali, Provincial Minister for Women Development, Government of Sindh, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the rights, safety and dignity of women and girls. She pledged to make every possible effort to strengthen their protection and safeguard them against violence and discrimination.
Rukhshanda Naz, a prominent women’s rights activist and Chairperson of Noor Education Trust and Mera Ghar Shelter Home, brought a delegation of more than ten lawyers to provide free legal assistance to women seeking remedies. The delegation included Spogmay Sohail Khan, Zaiba Faiz, Sadia Mehboob, Sahar Ajaz Sethi, Durri Nayab, Maryam Zeb, Sabiha Iqbal, Nosheen Rehman, Naeema Zar Khan and Irum Jabeen Ansari.
Rukhshanda Naz said that, following 28 years of advocacy, civil society in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had succeeded in securing legislation on domestic violence. She encouraged participants to be proactive in claiming and safeguarding their rights through existing laws and emphasized the importance of coordinated, collective efforts to achieve meaningful and lasting change.
Noureen Bano Lehri, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), said the high number of reported violence cases partly reflected improvements in reporting mechanisms. She also highlighted the growing role of social media in bringing cases of abuse to public attention.
The Chairperson said the NCSW was working closely with the Supreme Court of Pakistan to address issues affecting women. She also referred to efforts to seek the permanent removal from social media platforms of individuals found responsible for harassing women and girls or engaging in other forms of online abuse. Emphasizing the importance of engaging men and boys in preventing violence, she observed that educating boys remained a neglected area in society. The Commission was therefore prioritizing awareness sessions in boys’ colleges to help them understand their role in preventing violence against women and girls. She also shared information about helplines available to support survivors.
Advocate Rubina Aman Brohi, Chairperson of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women, expressed serious concern over the alarming rise in digital violence against women and girls, particularly technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Referring to the case of Fahmida Leghari, a student who died by suicide, she said the Commission was investigating the matter in depth to help address such cases effectively.
The Chairperson urged women not to live in fear of online violence and encouraged them to report incidents. She also highlighted the role of multisectoral committees on gender issues, through which government departments work together to address women’s concerns. She added that measures such as the proposed Sindh medico-legal bill and the establishment of one-stop protection centres would strengthen the support available to women.
Dr. Sumera Shams, Chairperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women, acknowledged that implementation of existing laws remained weak but said the province’s domestic violence legislation would soon be fully enforced. She stressed that the lack of awareness among women about their legal rights and available protections needed to be addressed through targeted initiatives. Women, she added, should also be encouraged to seek information about the laws designed to protect them.
Kiran Baloch, Chairperson of the Balochistan Commission on the Status of Women, said fear of family reactions often prevented girls from reporting violence and seeking help. She explained that awareness campaigns were being conducted in schools to address this challenge and encourage girls to speak up. “Tell us how we can help you. We are here to build partnerships to address women’s rights issues,” she said. Baloch shared the provincial helpline 1089 and her office telephone number, 081-9204010, for reporting harassment and seeking assistance in Balochistan.
A delegation of women lawyers from Sindh also shared their experiences, observing that the growing number of women lawyers had made it easier for women to approach them for assistance. Increased awareness, supported by the presence of women lawyers and the sustained efforts of civil society organizations, has helped bring cases of violence once considered private family matters into the open. The lawyers reaffirmed their commitment to protecting women’s rights and helping survivors pursue legal action.
The delegation further highlighted the significant growth in women’s representation in the legal profession. In Hyderabad division alone, the number of women lawyers had reportedly increased from approximately 700–800 to more than 7,000 following a decade of sustained efforts. The delegation included lawyers, Afsheen Naz Bhutto, tNazish Anwer, Samina Umrani, Haseena Kanwal, Seema Khoso, Mehwish Arif, Shazia shamas, Noshaba and Rabia Samma.
