Islamabad, , 2026: Chairperson of the Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, Dr. Nafisa Shah, MNA, expressed serious displeasure over the continued delay in the appointment of the Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and the Chairperson of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, observing that prolonged vacancies at the leadership level undermine the effective functioning, institutional authority and continuity of these important statutory bodies.
The Committee stressed that the appointments should be made without further delay in accordance with the applicable legal framework, so that the Commissions may discharge their mandates effectively and provide strong institutional leadership for the promotion and protection of women’s rights.
The Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming has expressed serious concern over the acute shortage of staff and vacant sanctioned posts in the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and other Women’s Commissions, as well as the lack of basic facilities, pensionary benefits and appropriate incentives for their employees. The Committee emphasized that adequate financial, human and institutional resources were essential for the Commissions to effectively discharge their mandates.
Chairperson of the Special Committee on Gender Mainstreamig paid rich tribute to the Chairpersons of the NCSW and Provincial Commissions for their unwavering commitment to advancing and protecting women’s rights, and acknowledged their dedication, courage and resilience in pursuing this national cause.
The Committee met at Parliament House, Islamabad, under the chairpersonship of Dr. Nafisa Shah, MNA, and received a comprehensive briefing from the Acting Chairperson, NCSW, on the Commission’s legal framework, mandate, performance, operational functioning and challenges. The Chairpersons of the Provincial Commissions on the Status of Women also shared their respective experiences, achievements, institutional challenges and areas requiring greater coordination and support.
The Acting Chairperson informed the Committee that the NCSW, established under the National Commission on the Status of Women Act, 2012, is mandated to promote and protect women’s rights and advance gender equality. Its functions include reviewing laws and policies affecting women, monitoring their implementation, advising the Government on reforms, undertaking research and advocacy, and coordinating with Provincial Commissions and other relevant institutions.
Dr. Nafisa Shah observed that the effectiveness of the NCSW should be assessed not merely through the number of studies, recommendations or consultations undertaken, but by their tangible impact on the lives of women. She stressed the need for a more proactive, evidence-based and results-oriented approach, particularly in legislative review, policy monitoring, follow-up of recommendations and gender-responsive governance.
The Committee also emphasized the importance of stronger institutional linkages between the NCSW and Provincial Commissions through regular consultations, information-sharing and coordinated action on cross-cutting issues. It further highlighted the need to strengthen research, data collection, public awareness, complaint-handling and reporting mechanisms, with measurable indicators to assess institutional performance and outcomes.
The Committee recommended that the NCSW establish a comprehensive monitoring and follow-up mechanism to maintain a record of its recommendations, responses received from concerned Ministries/Divisions and the status of implementation, and submit an annual implementation report to the National Assembly/Committee for effective parliamentary oversight.
The Committee recommended that the NCSW, in coordination with Provincial Commissions on the Status of Women, establish a structured coordination mechanism comprising regular consultations, information-sharing and joint action on cross-cutting issues to ensure a coherent national framework for gender mainstreaming.
The Committee recommended that the Ministry of Human Rights, in coordination with the NCSW and Provincial Commissions, strengthen their institutional, financial and human-resource capacity, ensure effective inter-provincial coordination, and establish a comprehensive mechanism for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of their recommendations.
The Committee recommended that the NCSW and Provincial Commissions develop accessible, transparent and time-bound mechanisms for receiving and following up complaints relating to violations of women’s rights, enhance public awareness of their mandates, and introduce measurable performance indicators and periodic reporting to assess the effectiveness and impact of their interventions.
The Committee also approved the minutes of its previous meeting.
The meeting was attended by Ms. Shaista Pervaiz, MNA; Ms. Shahida Rehmani, MNA; Ms. Shahida Begum, MNA; Senator Saadia Abbassi; Senator Rubina Qaimkhani; and Senator Khalida Ateeb, along with the Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights, Acting Chairperson, NCSW, and senior officers of the Ministry.
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