Peshawar
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women (KPCSW) held a crucial meeting with the Joint Provincial Election Commissioner, Mr. Aziz Bahadar, on January 22, 2024, at the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan-Peshawar. The meeting aimed to discuss and present the “Charter of Demands for Ensuring Women’s Inclusive Electoral Process” for the General Elections 2024 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Key attendees included Mr. Aziz Bahadar, Joint Provincial Election Commissioner, Director Program KPCSW Ms. Amna Durrani, and representatives from KPCSW and Election Commission, including, Ms. Nasreen Ayaz Khattak, Mr. Sohail Ahmad, Mr. Syed Aun Ahmad Naqvi, Muhammad Faheem, and Mr. Kaleem Ullah.
Charter of Demands for the General Elections 2024; included enforcing the Election Act 2017 to ensure parties allocate 5% of general seats to women, nullifying polls in areas with less than 10% female voter turnout, and taking action against candidates overspending. The Charter also calls for designated seating at polling stations, sufficient reimbursement for polling staff, well-lit and equipped polling stations, special monitoring for low female voter registration districts, and measures to counter smear campaigns.
Additionally, it urges creating separate women’s polling stations, ensuring safety arrangements, conducting specialized training for polling staff, and compiling gender-specific election results. Collaborative efforts for mass awareness among women voters about designated polling stations are also emphasized.
