Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: A virtual meeting of Gender and Disability Electoral Group was held at the Election Commission of Pakistan under the chairmanship of the Secretary Election Commission on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by the Special Secretary, ECP, Additional DG, Gender Affairs Wing, officials of the ECP and members of the civil society.
In his opening remarks, Secretary ECP appreciated contribution of the Civil Society for strengthening democratic processes in Pakistan. He said that the ECP is determined that all segments of the society would be given equal opportunity to participate in the electoral and political process. He further stated that the third Strategic Plan 2019-2023 of the ECP reiterated ECP’s commitments for gender mainstreaming and inclusion of all segments of the society.
The Election Commission of Pakistan continued to discharge its duties even at the time of pandemic for the continuation of the democratic process in the country as the working on the delimitation of constituencies in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was underway, he further added.
Additional D.G Gender Affairs Wing, ECP briefed the members of the Gender & Disability Electoral Working Group meeting regarding the Third Strategic Plan 2019-2023 of the ECP, Joint ECP-NADRA Women’s NIC and Voter Registration and Pilot Survey to identify unregistered women and the reasons of under-registration of women. The meeting was told that Gender Mainstreaming and Social Inclusion is the key feature of the Third Strategic Plan.
Members of Civil Society while giving their suggestions appreciated the role of ECP in gender mainstreaming and social inclusion of marginalized segments of the society in the voting process.
He said that the ECP is determined that all segments of the society would be given equal opportunity to participate in the electoral and political process. He further stated that the third Strategic Plan 2019-2023 of the ECP reiterated ECP’s commitments for gender mainstreaming and inclusion of all segments of the society. Country Head of an international organization congratulated the ECP on starting the pilot survey to know the reasons behind gender gap in voter registration.
In the end, Special Secretary, ECP thanked the members of the Civil Society and appreciated their involvement and suggestions.
