Islamabad: Marking a significant milestone in the promotion of women’s rights, gender equality, and the effective participation of women at the parliamentary level, the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) of the National Assembly formally launched its Annual Report 2024–2025 at the Parliament House, Islamabad. The event was held under the convenorship of Ms. Syeda Shahida Rehmani, Member of the National Assembly (MNA), with key support from UN Women, the development partner of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. The ceremony was moderated by the Special Secretary of the National Assembly, Syed Shamoon Hashmi.
The event was attended by a large number of Members of the National Assembly and the Senate, former and serving women legislators, representatives of development partners, diplomatic corps, civil society organizations, legal experts, academia, media representatives, and other key stakeholders.
The participants reaffirmed their collective commitment to the protection of women’s rights, the promotion of gender-sensitive legislation, gender-responsive budgeting, and the strengthening of provincial and legislative chapters of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus.
The Annual Report 2024–2025 provides a detailed overview of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus’s performance over the past year, highlighting major achievements, legislative progress, national and international engagements, and challenges faced. The report emphasizes the urgent need to mainstream women’s issues within politics and legislation in order to build a just and equitable society.
In her keynote address, Ms. Syeda Shahida Rehmani, MNA and Convener of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, stated that the WPC is not merely a forum but a collective voice of women that works beyond party affiliations to advocate for women’s rights and gender justice. She noted that the WPC has played a pivotal role in promoting gender-sensitive legislation, strengthening parliamentary oversight on gender-related issues, and fostering coordination among women legislators.
Ms. Syeda Shahida Rehmani emphasized that legislation concerning women would remain a permanent and central component of the parliamentary agenda to effectively address the social, economic, and legal challenges faced by women. She described the convening of Pakistan’s first Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Workshop on Gender-Sensitive Legislation after a four-year gap as a major achievement, highlighting that the participation of international parliamentarians enhanced Pakistan’s positive image globally.
During the presentation of the report, it was shared that, for the first time in Pakistan’s parliamentary history, provincial and legislative chapters of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus have been established and activated in all four provincial assemblies and legislative bodies. These chapters have enabled women legislators to highlight grassroots-level issues and play a more effective role in the legislative process.
Other notable initiatives included the National Women’s Convention 2025 held under the theme “A Unified Vision for Empowerment,” which brought together women representatives from across the country. The report also covered roundtable conferences on gender-responsive budgeting, the conference titled “Poverty Has a Woman’s Face” held during the 18th Speakers’ Conference, and activities conducted as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. High-level consultations titled “Raising Her Voice in Political Parties” were also recognized as a significant step toward promoting women’s political inclusion.
During the open-floor session, both women and men legislators openly shared their views. Ms. Shaista Pervaiz Malik, MNA, stressed the need for strict oversight and effective implementation of harassment laws, calling for swift and affordable justice for victims of sexual violence. Senator Rubina Qaimkhani highlighted gaps in existing harassment legislation and proposed the formation of comprehensive parliamentary committees to address these shortcomings.
Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, MNA, stated that achieving gender equality is a non-partisan and non-political issue, requiring collective efforts from all political forces. She emphasized the role of parents in child upbringing, noting that the foundations of respect and equality must be laid from an early age. Ms. Munaza Hassan termed effective coordination among national, provincial, and legislative assemblies as indispensable.
Ms. Samar Haroon Bilour, MNA, shed light on the profound impact of terrorism and security challenges on women, particularly those who have lost male family members due to violence. She emphasized the inclusion of women legislators in economic and security policymaking and called for increasing women’s job quotas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other provinces.
Senator Rubina Khalid proposed the launch of internship programs within parliamentary institutions for students of law and social sciences to familiarize the younger generation with the legislative process. She also stressed adopting international best practices to combat the rising threat of cybercrime and called for increased Senate representation in the WPC Working Council. Ms. Farrukh Khan, MNA, emphasized that sustainable development requires balance and mutual cooperation between men and women.
On this occasion, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, MNA, expressed her views, stating that although Pakistan has enacted several laws related to women, the real challenge lies in their effective implementation and addressing legislative gaps. She emphasized that women’s representation should not be limited to the National Assembly alone but must be strengthened across provincial assemblies, the Senate, local governments, and all legislative forums. Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro stressed that genuine gender equality cannot be achieved without incorporating women’s lived experiences and ground realities into the legislative process.
She further stated that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus should also function as a policy think tank, guiding legislation through research, data, and evidence-based analysis. According to her, special attention must be given to issues related to women’s health, education, access to justice, and economic empowerment.
During the same session, Ms. Kiran Imran Dar, MNA, also addressed the gathering, commending the role of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. She emphasized that women’s political participation must be meaningful rather than symbolic. She highlighted the urgent need to provide political and leadership opportunities to young women, particularly those from rural and marginalized backgrounds. According to Kiran Imran Dar, sustainable solutions to women’s issues are not possible unless the voices of young women are included in policymaking.
She further stressed that state institutions, Parliament, and civil society must work under a joint strategy to address issues such as violence against women, harassment, and economic exploitation. She noted that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus can serve as a vital bridge between policymakers and the public, strengthening communication and trust.
In conclusion, the speakers reaffirmed their commitment that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus will continue its efforts in the coming years to promote women’s rights, gender justice, and inclusive development. The event concluded with the hope that the Annual Report 2024–2025 would not only stand as a record of achievements but also serve as an effective roadmap for future legislation and policy initiatives.