For the first time, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in collaboration with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has made it mandatory for the Mobile Registration Vans (MRVs) to ensure registration of transgender persons and people-with-disabilities at their doorstep and include them in political processes. This was stated by Nighat Siddique, Director General Gender Affairs, ECP here at Lok Virsa during the 2nd day of 15th Annual Rural Women Conference organized by Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA) here Friday. However, there are other facilities like preferential voting procedure and postal ballot facility which can be used actively by old people, transgender persons and people-with-disabilities, she told.

The rural women representing 120 districts of the country urged all political parties to allocate 50 percent ticket to women candidates in elections from national, provincial to local level. PODA-Pakistan has been organizing annual rural women conference since 2008 in connection with the International Rural Women Day that is observed on 15th of October every year. The conference provides platform to rural women and their leadership to bring their issues and solutions on the front vocally for change to reduce gender gap in every sphere of life. This is the consecutive 15th conference in which rural women from 120 districts of the country have gathered urging policymakers to optimize women role and contributions in the overall progress of the country.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP