Islamabad, March 6, 2026 — The Women Parliamentary Caucus of the National Assembly under the convenorship of Dr Shahida Rehmani launched the Pakistan Women Parliamentary Leaders Portal at the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services in collaboration with UN Women and the European Union. The new Women Parliamentary Portal is presented as a platform to strengthen coordination between national and provincial caucuses and to spotlight the legislative work of women parliamentarians.
Dr Shahida Rehmani said Pakistan has benefited from the constitutional quota system but must now focus on ensuring meaningful and effective participation. She underlined the caucus commitment to engage parliamentarians, experts and civil society to fortify the quota framework and pursue reforms that enable women to fully contribute to democratic governance. The portal was described as a digital space for knowledge sharing, policy dialogue and citizen engagement.
Former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani stressed that democracies flourish when women participate equally in decision making and stressed the link between inclusive representation and sustainable development. Recalling reforms during his tenure, he pointed to legislation and programmes that advanced women’s protection and socio-economic participation and said ‘opportunity must be determined not by gender, but by merit and determination’, affirming the Senate’s support for advancing women’s rights and representation.
Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law & Justice, highlighted the vital role of women in Pakistan’s democratic journey and paid tribute to leaders who paved the way for women’s political engagement. He noted that women parliamentarians serve constituencies, participate in party politics and contest general seats, and welcomed the Women Parliamentary Portal as a tool to promote coordination, capacity building and gender-responsive legislation across federal and provincial legislatures.
The launch included a panel on strengthening women’s political participation moderated by Syed Shamoon Hashmi. Panelists such as Begum Ishrat Ashraf, Shaista Pervaiz, Dr Nafisa Shah, Tanzila Um-e-Habiba, Ghazala Gola, Naeema Kishwer Khan and Samina Khalid Ghurki discussed the need for sustained financial and political support for women legislators, inclusive participation at all levels, dismantling structural barriers and empowering women from middle- and lower-middle-class backgrounds. Dr Nafisa Shah also expressed deep concern over the martyrdom of schoolgirls in Iran and urged international action to protect women and children.
The Women Parliamentary Portal offers legislative mapping of pro-women laws, gap analysis with recommendations, mentorship schemes, online courses and tools to support gender-responsive budgeting. Designed as a long-term institutional resource, the portal aims to preserve institutional memory, facilitate connections between legislators, researchers and policy experts, and link the public with women lawmakers. It is bilingual and accessible to visually impaired users to ensure inclusive access.
The event was attended by MNAs Kiran Haider and Shahnaz Saleem Malik, officials including UN Resident Coordinator Mohamed Yahya, Philipp Oliver from the EU Delegation, Jamshed Kazi of UN Women, as well as civil society representatives, youth and media. Organisers described the portal as a forward-looking instrument to enhance legislative coordination and bolster women’s leadership across Pakistan.
