ISLAMABAD – Women Parliamentarians’ presence at important decision making forums and their active participation at important institutions like Parliament and Senate, giving vital input for bringing social and economic change.
According to a report of Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), women lawmakers contributed 39% of parliamentary business in the National Assembly and Senate during 2017-18.
Comparison of the on-floor performances of women and men lawmakers in both Houses of the Parliament shows that women members actively participated in the proceedings through regular attendance and substantive contribution to the parliamentary business.
The report says that in the Senate, women sponsored 15 per cent parliamentary business individually and three per cent jointly.
The women lawmakers of the National Assembly initiated 31 (32%) out of 98 bills on their own and 22 (22%) bills in collaboration with their male colleagues.
According to the report women lawmakers exclusively sponsored 36 (50%) of 72 resolutions in the National Assembly and collaborated with their male counterparts for moving 16 additional (22%) resolutions.
The women lawmakers in the Senate sponsored 13 (9%) of 145 bills on their own and five in partnership with male lawmakers and moved 15 (15%) of 99 resolutions.
Women parliamentarians also kept a close vigil on the government by asking questions and raising Calling Attention Notices, they asked 1,595 (50%) Questions and moved 64 (86%) Calling Attention Notices (CANs) in the National Assembly.
Whereas, in the Senate, the Questions and CANs moved by them amounted to 241 (16%) and 26 (25%).
In the National Assembly, a woman lawmaker introduced on average 25 agenda items, in comparison to six by her male colleague. In the Senate, a woman lawmaker sponsored on average 17 agenda items as compared to 21 agenda items per male lawmaker.
The further report says the National Assembly held 75 settings while the Senate held 100 sittings during their respective reporting periods.
In the National Assembly, a woman lawmaker attended on average 50 (67%) sittings whereas a male lawmaker attended on average 42 (56%) settings. In the Senate, a woman lawmaker attended on average 64 (64%) sittings whereas a male lawmaker attended on average 59 per cent sittings.
