{"id":8678,"date":"2023-07-17T13:39:32","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T13:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/?p=8678"},"modified":"2023-07-17T13:39:32","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T13:39:32","slug":"hrcp-calls-for-inclusiveness-and-electoral-empowerment-of-marginalised-groups-at-national-consultation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/hrcp-calls-for-inclusiveness-and-electoral-empowerment-of-marginalised-groups-at-national-consultation\/","title":{"rendered":"HRCP calls for inclusiveness and electoral empowerment of marginalised groups at national consultation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press release<\/p>\n

HRCP calls for inclusiveness and electoral empowerment of marginalised groups at national consultation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Islamabad, 17 July 2023<\/em>. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) held a national consultation today on the political participation and electoral empowerment of marginalised groups in Pakistan. The participants discussed barriers in the electoral system leading to disenfranchisement and proposed measures to increase inclusiveness and transparency.<\/p>\n

President of the Potohar Mental Health Association Zulqarnain Asghar underscored inaccessibility at polling stations for persons with disabilities, stressing that a variety of disabilities must be catered to instead of simply providing wheelchairs or other token efforts. Special wings for persons with disabilities in political parties was also proposed.<\/p>\n

HRCP\u2019s Council member Farhatullah Babar urged for an increase in women\u2019s seats in the legislature, noting that women legislators\u2019 actual participation exceeded the arbitrary 5 percent quota allocated. He also emphasised easing cumbersome CNIC registration requirements for women, persons with disabilities and non-Muslim minorities, a matter seconded by the Director General for Inclusive Registration at the National Database and Registration Authority Reema Aftab.<\/p>\n

According to minority rights activist Jennifer Jagjiwan, the electoral process must be reevaluated from a lens of representation and recognition, and political parties must make an effort to raise religious minorities’ issues in their internal forums. Member of the National Democratic Movement and former senator Afrasiab Khattak agreed, stating that all political parties must take collective responsibility and work towards representing marginalised groups adequately.<\/p>\n

Gaps in population data were also discussed. Trans activist Nayyab Ali highlighted how transgender people were undercounted in the 2017 census; among those counted only 18 percent were documented. Joint census commissioner for the Federal Bureau of Statistics Qazi Ismatullah agreed that census data must include minorities, persons with disabilities and transgender people.<\/p>\n

Awami Workers Party\u2019s Dr Aasim Sajjad Akhtar added that the current electoral system is skewed towards higher income groups and that there should be a system of proportional representation for marginalised groups. The Election Commission of Pakistan\u2019s Director General for Gender Nyghat Siddique said that the commission has implemented ceiling budgets for election campaigns, and other checks and balances are steadily being devised.<\/p>\n

Finally, the federal ombudsperson for protection against harassment at the workplace Fauzia Viqar and HRCP secretary-general Harris Khalique emphasised that political institutions must empower statutory institutions instead of forwarding their own interests. Such measures would go a long way towards ensuring fair and inclusive elections in Pakistan, free of the influence of non-political forces.<\/p>\n

Hina Jilani
\nChairperson<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>