20pc quota proposed for women in govt jobs

KARACHI - As the process of advertisement to fill vacant seats in all departments of the provincial government, Sindh Ministry of Women Development has recommended to the Chief Minister and provincial cabinet that at least 20 percent quota must be reserved for women in all government departments and Sindh Public Service Commission, besides appointments on merit, an official told The Nation on Thursday.
Sindh Minister for Women Development had already presented proposal for 20 percent quota in all government offices as well in Sindh Public Service Commission, a senior official of Provincial Women Department said, adding the women members of Sindh Assembly and representatives of civil society organisations have also backed the move.
The official reminded that provincial cabinet had already approved the proposal for allocation of Zakat and Batul Maal funds for deserving women.
The women development department also urged the competent authorities that Rs1 billion should be reserved for the to initiate development projects and provide relief to needy women, the official said, suggesting the timely release of endowment funds by the Finance Department for micro credit scheme for rural women.
Due to lack of proper accommodation at the present directorate of women department, the proposal for allocation of ground floor of the Sindh Secretariat No.6 to the Women Development Department was also submitted to competent authorities of Services General and Coordination Department, the official added.
Meanwhile, Tauqir Fatima Bhutto, Sindh Minister for Women Development, while addressing the seminar on Thursday underlined the need for pro-women laws, and said women constituted over half of the population of the country but they have no say in decision-making process.
“There is urgent need for reforms in political and legal institutions which could help bring women in national mainstream”, she said.
Emphasising for equal participation of women in national policy and decision-making matters, the minister said that various projects have already been started for women’s development while legislation for abolishing ant-women laws would be made very soon, Tauqir Fatima concluded.