Islamabad : A high-level parliamentary delegation led by Rt. Mr. Korneli Kon Ngu Akuck, Deputy Speaker of the Transitional Legislative Assembly of South Sudan, met with the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) of the National Assembly of Pakistan at the Parliament House.
Member of the General Assembly WPC, Syeda Shehla Raza, MNA, warmly welcomed the distinguished delegation and delivered the opening remarks. She provided an overview of the WPC’s establishment in 2008 under the patronage of Former National Assembly Speaker Dr. Fehmida Mirza. During the discussion, Rt. Mr. Korneli Kon Ngu Akuck shared insights about the formation of a similar women’s parliamentary caucus in South Sudan.
The dialogue also highlighted the critical importance of allocating party tickets and reserved legislative seats to women to ensure their fair representation. Rt. Mr. Korneli Kon Ngu Akuck emphasized the initiatives of the Transitional Legislative Assembly of South Sudan to promote girls’ education and encourage regular school attendance.
Syeda Shehla Raza, MNA, underscored the efforts of Pakistan’s National Assembly in promoting gender equality, including the establishment of a Special Parliamentary Committee on Gender-Mainstreaming. She highlighted various initiatives, such as women-only police stations, the inclusion of women in police forces across Pakistan, provision of CNIC services for transgender persons, empowerment of women with special abilities, and measures to address honor killings.
The meeting concluded with both sides underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts to enhance the welfare and well-being of women. They also expressed a shared commitment to maintaining regular parliamentary exchanges to foster mutual understanding and cooperation.