Office of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women (SCSW) has been established with support of SPO, Trcoaire and Australian Government
Office of the Sindh Commission on the Status of Women (SCSW) has been established at 4th Floor, Old KDA Building Sindh Secretariat Karachi with support of SPO, Trcoaire and Australian Government
The office of the SCSW, the legal body of high impetus for promotion of social, economic, political and legal rights of women of Sindh Province has been established with support of the Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) under the project “ Policy Advocacy and Research to Strengthen Implementation of Pro-Women Legislation and GBV Response Services in Sindh” supported by Trócaire under its Gender Programme, funded by the Australian Government, on Wednesday November 29, 2017.
Ms. Stacy Greens, First Secretary Development Corporation, speaking at the occesion
Ms. Nuzhat Shirin, Chairperson SCSW, sharing vision and mandate of Commission
The Sindh Commission on the Status of Women Bill, 2015 was passed by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh on 6th of April, 2015 and assented by the Governor of Sindh on 12th of May, 2015 and published as an Act of the Legislature of Sindh. As per this Act, Government of the Sindh shall constitute a Commission to be known as the SCSW, to exercise the powers conferred upon, and to perform the functions assigned to it. The support is aimed at promotion of social, economic, political and legal rights of women as provided in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973, and international declarations, conventions, treaties and agreements relating to women, including Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
SPO organized the inauguration ceremony of office establishment of SCSW on 29th of November 2017, in local hotel of Karachi by providing necessary office furniture and fixture like computers, multimedia, chairs, tables, internet devices, scanner, printer, ACs and other items proposed by the chairperson of the SCSW.
The inauguration ceremony was warmly participated by SCSW office bearers, members, legislatures of Sindh Assembly, secretaries of women development department, home department, human rights and social welfare department government of Sindh, civil society members and representatives of Trócaire, and Australian High Commission
Chief Executive SPO, Mr. Saleem Malik welcomed the participants and appreciated the civil society and government’s joint endeavor to strengthen an institution like SCSW. Ms. Shazia Shaheen, Manager Programs SPO shared that legal body of high importance such as Sindh Commission on the Status of Women is there to support the women in getting their rights by examining the laws and monitoring their implementation. Ms. Ishrat Jabeen, Program Director Trocaire appreciated the landmarks achieved under the project by SPO. Ms. Stacy Greens, First Secretary Development Corporation, The Australian High Commission praised the strong coordination of the government departments with civil society to serve the pro women laws in Sindh Province. Chairperson of the SCSWMs. Nuzhat shared that SCSW would develop and implement the three years strategic plan of actions to meet the demands of vulnerable women in Sindh by making three to four model women friendly districts in Sindh. Ms. Saira Shahliani convener Women Parliamentary Caucus highlighted the mutual areas of cooperation between the Women Parliamentary Caucus and SCSW to support the women for protection their rights envisioned in laws. Ms. Iram Khalid, Special Assistant to CM shared that SCSW as corporate and autonomous body would serve the demand and supply side of the pro women legislation and implementation in Sindh. Last but not the least Ms. Kalpna Devi member of SPO general body and AAG termed the efforts of the SPO under the project worth mentioning in the history. The members of the provincial steering forum (PSF) recognized the outstanding importance of the SCSW as the autonomous and state institution to safeguard the interests of the women in Sindh for increased social, economic, political and legal role of the women to minimize the vulnerabilities encountered by them in Province. Different government and civil society members participated in the event and shared their positive comments on the event.