Islamabad — A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today between the National Assembly Secretariat and the Ombudsperson Secretariat, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at the Parliament House, Islamabad, marking a significant step toward strengthening institutional collaboration on women’s rights and workplace protections.
The MoU was signed by Acting Secretary of the National Assembly Mr. Saeed Ahmad and Provincial Ombudsperson of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ms. Rubab Mehdi. Special Secretary (Special Initiatives), National Assembly, Syed Shamoon Hashmi, along with officers and officials of the National Assembly Secretariat and the Provincial Ombudsperson Secretariat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were also present on the occasion.
The MoU aims to strengthen institutional cooperation, coordination, and information-sharing between the two institutions to advance women’s rights, safeguard their inheritance rights, promote their meaningful participation in the parliamentary system, ensure the effective implementation of the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, enhance workplace safety, and foster stronger parliamentary engagement.
Under the agreement, a collaborative framework has been established for information sharing, capacity building, consultations, and technical cooperation, while both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to upholding their respective constitutional mandates, institutional autonomy, and parliamentary privileges.
The MoU also provides for strengthened cooperation between the Secretariat of the Provincial Ombudsperson of KP and the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of the National Assembly. This collaboration will focus on enhancing public awareness, protecting women’s inheritance rights, promoting women’s effective participation in parliamentary processes, supporting the implementation of the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, facilitating effective enforcement of relevant legislation, and strengthening oversight through sustained consultation and constructive dialogue.
Both institutions expressed confidence that the agreement would pave the way for more effective, coordinated, and sustained efforts toward safeguarding women’s rights and building a safer, more inclusive society.
