Islamabad - Newly elected women councillors from Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), hailing from various politically parties, have formed ‘Women Councillors’ Network’ to collectively work for drafting and implementing a gender-sensitive LG agenda in the federal capital. Women Councillors’ Network will provisionally work under an interim body selected in Monday’s session that will work until the group elects its office bearers within three months. The councillors nominated Fawzia Arshad and Nargis Nasir as joint spokespersons.
More than 100 women councillors elected to union councils and metropolitan corporation gathered here Monday to mark International Women’s Day and formed the Network as a women’s gift to citizens of Islamabad on the eve of International Women’s Day being celebrated Tuesday (today). The event was organised by Pattan Development Organisation in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
The women councillors also prepared a draft ‘women’s agenda for local governance in ICT’ and a mission statement through a participatory and transparent process. The agenda and mission statement will help build gender sensitive local governance in the capital of Pakistan.
Women councillors provided their input and articulated their agenda for making local governance in Islamabad more participatory, peaceful, just and environment and gender friendly.
The proposals put up by the councillors include ‘gender budgeting’ of development plans, environment friendly development actions, empowerment of women councillors in exercising their powers, inclusion of women councillors in planning processes, justice for weak and participation of weak and marginalized in local governance processes.