PUNJAB COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN ACT 2014

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THE PUNJAB COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN 
ACT 2014 
(I of 2014) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Establishment of the Commission 
4. Appointment of Chairperson 
5. Appointment of members 
6. Term of office 
7. Removal of Chairperson and members 
8. Secretariat of the Commission 
9. Functions of the Commission 
10. Meetings of the Commission 
11. Committees 
12. Fund 
13. Accounts and audit 
14. Annual report of the Commission 
15. Assistance to the Commission 
16. Indemnity 
17. Members and officers to be public servants 
18. Delegation of powers 
19. Powers to make rules 
 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN ACT 2014 
(I of 2014) 
[24th February, 2014] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the establishment of Punjab Commission on the Status of Women. 
Preamble.– Whereas it is expedient  to establish Punjab Commission on the Status 
of Women for the empowerment of women, expansion of opportunities for socio -
economic development of women and elimination of all forms of discrimination 
against women and for ancillary matters; 
 It is enacted as follows:– 
CHAPTER I 
PRELIMINARY 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the 
Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Act 2014. 
 (2) It shall extend to the whole of the Punjab. 
 (3) It shall come into force at once. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act– 
(a) “Chairperson” means Chairperson of the Commission and includes 
acting Chairperson; 
(b) “Commission” means Punjab Commission on the Status of Women 
established under the Act; 
(c) “Executive Committee” means the Executive Committee of the 
Commission; 
(d) “Fund” means the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Fund 
established under the Act; 
(e) “girl” means a female human being  who has not attained the age of 
eighteen years; 
(f) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; 
(g) “member” means a member of the Commission; 
(h) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules; 
(i) “Secretary” means Secretary of the Commission; and 
 
1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 12 February 2014; assented to by the Governor of the  Punjab on 19 
February 2014; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 24 February 2014, pages 2641-2645 
(j) “woman “means a female human being of eighteen years of age or 
above. 
CHAPTER II 
THE COMMISSION 
3. Establishment of the Commission .– (1) The Government shall constitu te a 
Commission to be known as ‘Punjab Commission on the Status of Women’. 
 (2) The Commission shall be a body corporate, having perpetual 
succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and disp ose of any 
property and shall sue and be sued by the said name. 
 (3) The Commission shall consist of– 
(a) the Chairperson, who shall be a woman having experience for more 
than fifteen years of working on issues relating to women and their 
rights; 
(b) one member from each Division of the Punjab, preferably women, but 
at least fifty percent members shall be women; 
(c) one woman member who is a non-Muslim; 
(d) Secretaries to the Government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, 
Finance, Planning and Development, Home, and Women Development 
Departments or their representatives not below the rank of Additional 
Secretaries; 
(e) President, Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Central and 
North Punjab for the first term of three years, followed by President, 
Women Cha mber of Commerce and Industries, South Punjab for the 
second term of three years, and thereafter, in like order and for like 
term; and 
(f) Secretary of the Commission. 
4. Appointment of Chairperson .– (1) The Government shall appoint the 
Chairperson on the recommendations of a search committee headed by Chief 
Secretary of the Government and consisting of the following:– 
(a) two female members of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, one 
each nominated by the Government and the Leader of Opposition in 
the Provincial Assembly; and 
(b) Secretaries to the Government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, 
Finance, Human Rights and Women Development Departments. 
 (2) The Chairperson shall be appointed on such terms and conditions as 
may be prescribed and, until prescribed, as the Government may determine. 
 (3) 2[*****] 
 (4) If the office of the Chairperson falls vacant owing to death, illness, 
resignation or otherwise, the Government shall appoint a woman member of the 
 
2Omitted by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Act 2022 (XXIII of 2022), published in the Punjab 
Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 October 2022, pp.1431, s.2. 
Commission to act as Chairperson for a period not exc eeding three months or until 
the appointment of a new Chairperson, whichever is earlier. 
3
[5. Appointment of members .– (1) The Government shall, in consultation with 
the Chairperson, appoint members mentioned in clauses (b) and (c) of subsection 
(3) of sec tion 3 in such manner and on such terms and conditions as may be 
prescribed and until so prescribed, as the Government may determine. 
(2) A member appointed under subsection (1) shall not be less than thirty 
years of age and more than sixty five years of a ge, and shall have experience of 
working on issues relating to women rights. 
 (3) The Government shall, in consultation with the Chairperson, within 
thirty days of occurrence of a vacancy, appoint a member for the residual term of the 
outgoing member.] 
6. Term of office .– (1) Subject to section 7, a person appointed as the 
Chairperson or a member, other than ex officio member, shall hold office for a term 
of three years from the date he enters upon the office but the Chairperson or a 
member shall not hold office for more than two terms. 
 (2) The Chairperson or a member, other than ex officio  member, may 
resign by submitting the resignation to the Government. 
7. Removal of Chairperson and members.– The Government may remove the 
Chairperson or a member, other than ex officio member, from the office if– 
(a) after proper inquiry, the Chairperson or the member is found guilty  of 
misconduct; or 
(b) the Chairperson or the member is adjudged as an un -discharged 
insolvent; 
(c) the Chairperson or the member is unfit to  continue in office by reason 
of being mentally or physically challenged and stands so declared by a 
medical board constituted by the Government; or 
(d) the Chairperson or the member has been sentenced to imprisonment 
for an offence involving moral turpitude. 
8. Secretariat of the Commission .– (1) There shall be a Secretariat of the 
Commission headed by the Chairperson and consisting of the Secretary and such 
officers and support staff as may be prescribed and, until prescribed, as the 
Government may determine. 
 (2) The terms and conditions of appointment of employees of the 
Commission shall be such as may be prescribed and, until prescribed, as the 
Government may determine 
 (3) The Chairperson shall be the chief executive of the Commission and 
shall be resp onsible for the effective conduct of the business and discharge of 
functions of the Commission, and for the purpose, the administrative and financial 
authority of the Commission shall vest in the Chairperson. 
 
3Substituted by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Act 2016 (XXXI of 2016), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 20 April 2016, pp. 4677-4678, s.3. 
 (4) The Secretary shall be appointed in such m anner as may be 
prescribed and until prescribed as the Government may determine. 
 (5) The Secretary shall perform such functions as may be prescribed or as 
may be assigned by the Commission or the Chairperson. 
 (6) The Secretary, under instructions of the Commission, shall prepare a 
draft three years’ strategic plan, the annual work plan and budget of the Commission 
for approval of the Commission. 
CHAPTER III 
FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION 
9. Functions of the Commission.– (1) The Commission shall– 
(a) examine the policy, programs and other measures taken by the 
Government to materialize gender equality, empowerment of women 
and their representation and political participation, assess 
implementation and make suitable recommendations to the concerned 
authorities; 
(b) review the Punjab laws, rules and regulations affecting the status and 
rights of women and suggest repeal, amendment or new legislation 
essential to eliminate discrimination, safeguard and promote the 
interest of women and achieve gender equality in a ccordance with the 
Constitution and obligations under national and international covenants 
and commitments; 
(c) sponsor, steer and encourage research to generate information, analysis 
and studies and maintain a database relating to women and gender 
issues to provide knowledge and awareness for provincial policy and 
strategic action for women empowerment; 
(d) develop and maintain interaction and dialogue with non -governmental 
organizations, experts and individuals in society and an active association 
with si milar commissions and institutions in other territories for 
collaboration and action to achieve gender equality at the provincial , 
national, regional and international level; 
(e) mobilize grants from provincial, national and international  agency, 
including multi and bilateral agencies, approved by the Government, for 
meeting any of its obligations or performing its functions; 
(f) consider, approve and monitor implementation of the strategic plan, 
annual work plan and the annual budget;  
(g) facilitate and m onitor implementation of instruments and obligations 
affecting women and girls to which Pakistan is a signatory, and advise 
the Government before ratification or accession to any such proposed 
international instrument, covenant, protocol or treaty; and 
(h) perform such other functions as are ancillary to the above functions or 
as the Government may assign or as may be prescribed. 
 (2) The Commission may– 
(a) seek and receive information, data and documents from any source or 
entity in the course of performance of its functions; 
(b) inquire into any complaint of violation of women’s rights and make 
appropriate recommendation for remedial action to the concerned agency 
or authority; 
(c) call for information or report from any agency or authority of the 
Government, civil society organization or any autonomous body; 
(d) exercise the powers vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil 
Procedure, 1908 (V of 1908) for enforcing the attendance of any 
person and compelling the production of documents; 
(e) inspect any jail, sub -jail or other places of custody, where women and 
girls are kept, in accordance with relevant laws and rules and after prior 
permission of the Government and to make appropriate 
recommendations to the concerned authority or agency; 
(f) act for advocacy, lobbying, coalition building, networking and as a 
catalyst for promotion of cause of women to facilitate their participation 
in all spheres of life including legal, economic, social and political 
empowerment; 
(g) on the recommendation of  the executive committee, fix an honorarium 
or remuneration of advisors, consultants and experts; 
(h) monitor the mechanism and institutional procedure for redressal of 
violation of women’s rights; and 
(i) exercise any power ancillary to above powers or as may be prescribed. 
10. Meetings of the Commission .– (1) The Commission shall hold at least four 
meetings in a year, not less than one in every quarter, on such dates and at such 
times as the Chairperson may determine. 
 (2) The Secretary, on the directions of the C hairperson, shall call a 
meeting of the Commission and shall maintain the minutes of each meeting in the 
manner prescribed. 
 (3) The Chairperson, or in case of absence of the Chairperson, a member 
elected by the members present in the meeting, shall chair a meeting of the 
Commission. 
 (4) The quorum for the meeting of the Commission shall be one -half of the 
total membership of the Commission. 
 (5) The decisions of the Commission shall be taken by the majority of the 
members present and voting but, in case o f a tie, the Chairperson or the person 
presiding the meeting shall have a second vote. 
 (6) A decision of the Commission shall not be invalid merely for the reason 
of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Commission. 
 (7) All decisions of the Commission shall be authenticated by the signature 
of the Chairperson or the person who presided the meeting. 
11. Committees.– (1) The Commission shall appoint an Executive Committee 
consisting of the Chairperson and three other members, of whom at least two  shall 
be women. 
 (2) The Executive Committee shall be responsible to oversee the 
implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the Commission. 
 (3) The Commission may constitute such other committees from amongst 
its members as it deems fit and m ay refer to any such committee any matter for 
consideration and report. 
 (4) The Commission may, if it considers necessary, co -opt in a committee 
any person possessing special knowledge and expertise in the relevant subject. 
 (5) All committees of the Comm ission, except the Executive Committee, 
shall be constituted for a specified period. 
CHAPTER IV 
FINANCIAL PROVISIONS 
12. Fund.– (1) There shall be a Fund to be known as Punjab Commission on the 
Status of Women Fund, which shall vest in the Commission. 
 (2) The Fund shall consist of– 
(a) the grants-in-aid made by the Government; 
(b) donation made by any person, and any provincial, national and 
international agency; 
(c) income from investment by the Commission; and 
(d) all other sums or properties which may i n any manner become payable 
to or vest in the Commission. 
 (3) The Fund shall be spent for purposes of performance of duties and 
discharge of functions by the Commission, including expenses on the Secretariat. 
 (4) The Commission may invest its Fund or a p art of it in the prescribed 
manner or in accordance with the instructions of the Government. 
 (5) The Chairperson shall be the principal accounting officer of the 
Commission. 
13. Accounts and audit .– (1) The Commission shall maintain proper accounts 
and ot her relevant record and prepare an annual statement of accounts in such 
manner and form as may be prescribed. 
 (2) The accounts of the Commission shall be annually audited by the 
Auditor General of Pakistan. 
 (3) The Government may conduct or cause to be c onducted a special 
audit of the accounts of the Commission.  
 (4) The Government shall lay the annual or special audit report of the 
Commission in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab and shall comply with the 
directions of the Provincial Assembly on an audit report of the Commission. 
 
 
CHAPTER V 
MISCELLANEOUS 
14. Annual report of the Commission .– (1) In January each year, the 
Commission shall submit an annual report on performance of each one of its 
functions to the Government. 
 (2) The Government shall, at the earliest possible opportunity, lay the 
annual report of the Commission in Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. 
15. Assistance to the Commission .– All Provincial executive authorities shall 
assist the Commission in the performance of its functions. 
16. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution or legal proceedings shall lie against the 
Commission, the Chairperson or any member, officer, employee, advisor or consultant 
of the Commission in respect of anything done in good faith under this Act or the rules 
or for any order made, publication o f report by or under the authority of the 
Commission. 
17. Members and officers to be public servants .– The Chairperson, a member 
and every officer or employee appointed under this Act or the rules shall be deemed 
to be a public  servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 
1860 (XLV of 1860). 
18. Delegation of powers.– The Commission may, subject to such conditions as 
it may specify, delegate any of its powers or functions to the Executive Committee or 
to any other committee or to the Chairperson, the Secretary or an officer of the 
Commission, except the functions of– 
(a) appointment of the Executive Committee or constitution of any other 
committee; 
(b) the approval of strategic plan, annual work plan, annu al performance 
report and annual budget; and 
(c) recommendations relating to laws, rules, regulations or policies. 
19. Powers to make rules .– The Government may, in consultation with the 
Commission and by notification in the official Gazette, make rules fo r purposes of 
giving effect to the provisions of this Act.