Women rights have been ignored due to weak implementation of relevant laws and lack of sufficient legislation, said speakers at a consultative dialogue here on Saturday. The government has made little progress for making legislation for protection of women rights over the past few years, while a few laws were promulgated but implementation was remained very weak, said Khurshida Bano, women right activist while speaking at a consultative dialogue on “Women right issues” organised by Grass Roots and Action, an non-governmental organisation at Press Club on Saturday.
The participants included women rights activists, members of civil society and legal experts. The official of GRA organisation, Farah Naz stressed the need for strict implementation of relevant laws to ensure women rights in the society. She said the rights should be given to women on equity basis, who being a huge size of population play an important role in development and progress of the country.
“The implementation of relevant laws for protection of women rights is a far cry to really, said Ms Bano. She added that the bills of sexual harassment against women, early girls’ marriages, and home-based workers are still pending due to certain loopholes and other irritants prior to their promulgation. “We can’t ignore a huge size of population in attainment of their legitimate rights,” she remarked.
She urged the newly elected coalition government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to take prompt steps for implementation of all relevant laws to ensure protection of women rights in the society. Owing to lack of women representation in traditional Jirga, she said that the decisions mostly made without their consent, demanding to give proper women representation in the Jirga.
Sana Ejaz, another women activist said customary practices and traditional norms are the biggest hurdles before the ensuring of the women rights. She stressed the need for carrying out co-ordinated efforts to put pressure on relevant authorities for taking sufficient steps for implementation of laws on women rights. She especially mentioned that women are deprived of the constitutional right to vote in eight districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which is reflected non-serious attitude of authorities regarding the ensuring of women rights.
Ms Ejaz called for creation of maximum awareness among the women about their basic rights. She also said the government officials, particularly police department should be sensitised about the relevant laws for protection of women rights. Later, the participants have put certain recommendations and suggestions for effective implementation of laws for the protection of women’s rights.
