‘Women without CNICs unable to benefit Ehsaas programme’

LAHORE: Identity registration is a problem that transgender people are facing in particular while a large number of women do not have computerized national identity cards (CNICs) because of which they cannot benefit from government’s Ehsaas programme, it was pointed out in a meeting convened by National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) with women parliamentarians.

The meeting was called by Nadeem Ashraf, member Punjab National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), with women parliamentarians including MPA Shamsa Ali, MPA Saadia Sohail Rana and MPA Sumaira Ahmed Bokhari, representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) and media personnel regarding International Women’s Day at the regional office of NCHR. NCHR acts as a bridge between CSOs and government. NCHR is becoming a party in the transgenders case. The commission can intervene in any proceeding involving any allegation of violation of human rights pending before a court by filing an application for becoming a party to the proceedings. NCHR is a party in the case of torture of a couple in Islamabad. The government has given judicial powers as well to NCHR under the NCHR Act 2012.

NCHR has redressed 275 complaints of violation of human rights in the three months since its constitution. It attends to individual complaints first. The commission has taken suo motu notice of lynching in Sialkot and Mian Channu, Khanewal. It also took suo motu notice of child abuse in Gujrat.

The commission points out gaps in law and in implementation of law. The member Punjab NCHR has asked the government to notify The Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act 2014. He was himself school secretary Punjab and is convinced that education is imperative to improve human rights situation in the country.

Literate in our country is one who can write her/his name. Going by that measure only 52 percent women are literate to 72 percent men in Punjab and only 17 percent women are contributing to the formal economy, it was learnt.

It was pointed out that law on domestic violence has been notified in Multan and Lodhran only. Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2020 needs to be notified in every district to become law. At present the conviction rate in cases of violence against women is only 4 percent. Cybercrimes, harassment of women and the role of FIA in addressing these complaints also came under discussion by the participants and a number of suggestions were put forth. The issues were brought to the notice of the MPAs and the meeting resolved to attend to them.

Source: The News