Women demand 33pc representation in local govts

LAHORE: Representatives of Shirkat Gah’s Women Political Forum from Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club Tuesday and presented their charter of demands which ranged from provision of most basic civic amenity such as clean drinking water to 33 percent representation of women at the local government level.

Women from all provinces put forth their demands, including separate park and security arrangements at the UC level, establishment of gym and sports ground, streetlights for crime prevention, better sewerage system and covered manholes, removal of encroachments and separate washrooms at public places. They demanded that NADRA fee should not exceed 200. They called for reserving at least two days for women in NADRA.

Women activists from the Shirkat Gah platform have been pushing for a mechanism to check underage marriages for years now.

They demanded that the Nikah Khawan and Nikah Registrar should be required to check birth certificate and B form and the consent of the girl and the boy should be made mandatory at the time of marriage.

They demanded funds equal to men in local government in all provinces. Women should occupy the seats of village secretary, nazim, deputy nazim, chairman, or mayor and their responsibilities should be given in writing. Special seat for transgender in the local government was another demand.