Peshawar: The National Commission on the Status of Women with the support from UN Women and Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, successfully convened the 22nd Inter-Provincial Ministerial Group (IPMG) meeting in Peshawar. The two-day event aimed to provide an opportunity for provincial representatives to discuss on key issues and formulate actionable plans to enhance gender parity in state institutions across Pakistan.
In the welcome address, Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar, Chairperson of NCSW, outlined the vision for the IPMG, emphasizing the urgent need for inter-provincial collaboration to accelerate gender parity at all tiers of the government.
She stated, “The 22nd IPMG meeting exemplifies the commitment of provincial stakeholders towards advancing gender equality. Through our efforts and shared best practices, significant progress has been made in addressing gender disparities.” Ms. Bakhtiar also expressed appreciation to UN Women and the German Embassy for their invaluable support in coordinating this event.
Lansana Wonneh, Country Representative of UN Women Pakistan, highlighted the crucial role of provinces in providing accurate and inclusive gender data. He stated, “As we navigate the path to gender equality, accurate and inclusive data serve as our compass. Provinces play a pivotal role in providing this vital information, shedding light on the nuanced realities of women’s lives”. Furthermore, Mr. Wonneh emphasized the importance of comprehensive data collection and analysis in driving targeted policies and interventions to ensure equality for all individuals.
Chief Guest of the second day of the IPMG Mashal Yousafzai, Advisor to Chief Minister KP emphasized the importance of aligning efforts and leveraging the expertise of all stakeholders to overcome challenges and create a society where every girl realizes their full potential. She committed that the appointment of the Chairperson for the women’s commission of Khyber Pakhtunkha will be made before the end of the ongoing month.
Aftab Alam Afridi, Minister of Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights Department Government of KP, expressed his unwavering support for initiatives aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality in Pakistan. He stated, “True progress towards a more equitable society begins with acknowledging and addressing gender disparities. During the meeting, UN Women Pakistan and NCSW launched an extensive research study on “Economic Empowerment of Women in Distress – Shelters and Prisons in Pakistan.”
This collaborative effort shed light on the challenges faced by women in shelters and prisons, offering insights into the importance of vocational training and economic empowerment programs.
At the end of the 22nd IPMG meeting, a joint resolution was passed to ensure the collection, compilation, and analysis of data on women’s issues through the National Gender Data Portal. Additionally, there is an emphasis on expediting the formulation of provincial Gender Parity Reports to inform evidence-based and effective legislative, policy, and programs for advancing gender equality.
The IPMG has emerged as a vital inter-provincial coordination forum, with the potential to drive the women’s empowerment and gender equality agenda forward.
