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  "title": "PUNJAB COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN ACT 2014",
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  "text": "THE PUNJAB COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN \r\nACT 2014 \r\n(I of 2014) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n2. Definitions \r\n3. Establishment of the Commission \r\n4. Appointment of Chairperson \r\n5. Appointment of members \r\n6. Term of office \r\n7. Removal of Chairperson and members \r\n8. Secretariat of the Commission \r\n9. Functions of the Commission \r\n10. Meetings of the Commission \r\n11. Committees \r\n12. Fund \r\n13. Accounts and audit \r\n14. Annual report of the Commission \r\n15. Assistance to the Commission \r\n16. Indemnity \r\n17. Members and officers to be public servants \r\n18. Delegation of powers \r\n19. Powers to make rules \r\n \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE PUNJAB COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN ACT 2014 \r\n(I of 2014) \r\n[24th February, 2014] \r\nAn \r\nAct \r\nto provide for the establishment of Punjab Commission on the Status of Women. \r\nPreamble.– Whereas it is expedient  to establish Punjab Commission on the Status \r\nof Women for the empowerment of women, expansion of opportunities for socio -\r\neconomic development of women and elimination of all forms of discrimination \r\nagainst women and for ancillary matters; \r\n It is enacted as follows:– \r\nCHAPTER I \r\nPRELIMINARY \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the \r\nPunjab Commission on the Status of Women Act 2014. \r\n (2) It shall extend to the whole of the Punjab. \r\n (3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Act– \r\n(a) “Chairperson” means Chairperson of the Commission and includes \r\nacting Chairperson; \r\n(b) “Commission” means Punjab Commission on the Status of Women \r\nestablished under the Act; \r\n(c) “Executive Committee” means the Executive Committee of the \r\nCommission; \r\n(d) “Fund” means the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Fund \r\nestablished under the Act; \r\n(e) “girl” means a female human being  who has not attained the age of \r\neighteen years; \r\n(f) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; \r\n(g) “member” means a member of the Commission; \r\n(h) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules; \r\n(i) “Secretary” means Secretary of the Commission; and \r\n \r\n1This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 12 February 2014; assented to by the Governor of the  Punjab on 19 \r\nFebruary 2014; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 24 February 2014, pages 2641-2645 \r\n(j) “woman “means a female human being of eighteen years of age or \r\nabove. \r\nCHAPTER II \r\nTHE COMMISSION \r\n3. Establishment of the Commission .– (1) The Government shall constitu te a \r\nCommission to be known as ‘Punjab Commission on the Status of Women’. \r\n (2) The Commission shall be a body corporate, having perpetual \r\nsuccession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and disp ose of any \r\nproperty and shall sue and be sued by the said name. \r\n (3) The Commission shall consist of– \r\n(a) the Chairperson, who shall be a woman having experience for more \r\nthan fifteen years of working on issues relating to women and their \r\nrights; \r\n(b) one member from each Division of the Punjab, preferably women, but \r\nat least fifty percent members shall be women; \r\n(c) one woman member who is a non-Muslim; \r\n(d) Secretaries to the Government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, \r\nFinance, Planning and Development, Home, and Women Development \r\nDepartments or their representatives not below the rank of Additional \r\nSecretaries; \r\n(e) President, Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Central and \r\nNorth Punjab for the first term of three years, followed by President, \r\nWomen Cha mber of Commerce and Industries, South Punjab for the \r\nsecond term of three years, and thereafter, in like order and for like \r\nterm; and \r\n(f) Secretary of the Commission. \r\n4. Appointment of Chairperson .– (1) The Government shall appoint the \r\nChairperson on the recommendations of a search committee headed by Chief \r\nSecretary of the Government and consisting of the following:– \r\n(a) two female members of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, one \r\neach nominated by the Government and the Leader of Opposition in \r\nthe Provincial Assembly; and \r\n(b) Secretaries to the Government, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, \r\nFinance, Human Rights and Women Development Departments. \r\n (2) The Chairperson shall be appointed on such terms and conditions as \r\nmay be prescribed and, until prescribed, as the Government may determine. \r\n (3) 2[*****] \r\n (4) If the office of the Chairperson falls vacant owing to death, illness, \r\nresignation or otherwise, the Government shall appoint a woman member of the \r\n \r\n2Omitted by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Act 2022 (XXIII of 2022), published in the Punjab \r\nGazette (Extraordinary), dated: 24 October 2022, pp.1431, s.2. \r\nCommission to act as Chairperson for a period not exc eeding three months or until \r\nthe appointment of a new Chairperson, whichever is earlier. \r\n3\r\n[5. Appointment of members .– (1) The Government shall, in consultation with \r\nthe Chairperson, appoint members mentioned in clauses (b) and (c) of subsection \r\n(3) of sec tion 3 in such manner and on such terms and conditions as may be \r\nprescribed and until so prescribed, as the Government may determine. \r\n(2) A member appointed under subsection (1) shall not be less than thirty \r\nyears of age and more than sixty five years of a ge, and shall have experience of \r\nworking on issues relating to women rights. \r\n (3) The Government shall, in consultation with the Chairperson, within \r\nthirty days of occurrence of a vacancy, appoint a member for the residual term of the \r\noutgoing member.] \r\n6. Term of office .– (1) Subject to section 7, a person appointed as the \r\nChairperson or a member, other than ex officio member, shall hold office for a term \r\nof three years from the date he enters upon the office but the Chairperson or a \r\nmember shall not hold office for more than two terms. \r\n (2) The Chairperson or a member, other than ex officio  member, may \r\nresign by submitting the resignation to the Government. \r\n7. Removal of Chairperson and members.– The Government may remove the \r\nChairperson or a member, other than ex officio member, from the office if– \r\n(a) after proper inquiry, the Chairperson or the member is found guilty  of \r\nmisconduct; or \r\n(b) the Chairperson or the member is adjudged as an un -discharged \r\ninsolvent; \r\n(c) the Chairperson or the member is unfit to  continue in office by reason \r\nof being mentally or physically challenged and stands so declared by a \r\nmedical board constituted by the Government; or \r\n(d) the Chairperson or the member has been sentenced to imprisonment \r\nfor an offence involving moral turpitude. \r\n8. Secretariat of the Commission .– (1) There shall be a Secretariat of the \r\nCommission headed by the Chairperson and consisting of the Secretary and such \r\nofficers and support staff as may be prescribed and, until prescribed, as the \r\nGovernment may determine. \r\n (2) The terms and conditions of appointment of employees of the \r\nCommission shall be such as may be prescribed and, until prescribed, as the \r\nGovernment may determine \r\n (3) The Chairperson shall be the chief executive of the Commission and \r\nshall be resp onsible for the effective conduct of the business and discharge of \r\nfunctions of the Commission, and for the purpose, the administrative and financial \r\nauthority of the Commission shall vest in the Chairperson. \r\n \r\n3Substituted by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Act 2016 (XXXI of 2016), published in the \r\nPunjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 20 April 2016, pp. 4677-4678, s.3. \r\n (4) The Secretary shall be appointed in such m anner as may be \r\nprescribed and until prescribed as the Government may determine. \r\n (5) The Secretary shall perform such functions as may be prescribed or as \r\nmay be assigned by the Commission or the Chairperson. \r\n (6) The Secretary, under instructions of the Commission, shall prepare a \r\ndraft three years’ strategic plan, the annual work plan and budget of the Commission \r\nfor approval of the Commission. \r\nCHAPTER III \r\nFUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION \r\n9. Functions of the Commission.– (1) The Commission shall– \r\n(a) examine the policy, programs and other measures taken by the \r\nGovernment to materialize gender equality, empowerment of women \r\nand their representation and political participation, assess \r\nimplementation and make suitable recommendations to the concerned \r\nauthorities; \r\n(b) review the Punjab laws, rules and regulations affecting the status and \r\nrights of women and suggest repeal, amendment or new legislation \r\nessential to eliminate discrimination, safeguard and promote the \r\ninterest of women and achieve gender equality in a ccordance with the \r\nConstitution and obligations under national and international covenants \r\nand commitments; \r\n(c) sponsor, steer and encourage research to generate information, analysis \r\nand studies and maintain a database relating to women and gender \r\nissues to provide knowledge and awareness for provincial policy and \r\nstrategic action for women empowerment; \r\n(d) develop and maintain interaction and dialogue with non -governmental \r\norganizations, experts and individuals in society and an active association \r\nwith si milar commissions and institutions in other territories for \r\ncollaboration and action to achieve gender equality at the provincial , \r\nnational, regional and international level; \r\n(e) mobilize grants from provincial, national and international  agency, \r\nincluding multi and bilateral agencies, approved by the Government, for \r\nmeeting any of its obligations or performing its functions; \r\n(f) consider, approve and monitor implementation of the strategic plan, \r\nannual work plan and the annual budget;  \r\n(g) facilitate and m onitor implementation of instruments and obligations \r\naffecting women and girls to which Pakistan is a signatory, and advise \r\nthe Government before ratification or accession to any such proposed \r\ninternational instrument, covenant, protocol or treaty; and \r\n(h) perform such other functions as are ancillary to the above functions or \r\nas the Government may assign or as may be prescribed. \r\n (2) The Commission may– \r\n(a) seek and receive information, data and documents from any source or \r\nentity in the course of performance of its functions; \r\n(b) inquire into any complaint of violation of women’s rights and make \r\nappropriate recommendation for remedial action to the concerned agency \r\nor authority; \r\n(c) call for information or report from any agency or authority of the \r\nGovernment, civil society organization or any autonomous body; \r\n(d) exercise the powers vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil \r\nProcedure, 1908 (V of 1908) for enforcing the attendance of any \r\nperson and compelling the production of documents; \r\n(e) inspect any jail, sub -jail or other places of custody, where women and \r\ngirls are kept, in accordance with relevant laws and rules and after prior \r\npermission of the Government and to make appropriate \r\nrecommendations to the concerned authority or agency; \r\n(f) act for advocacy, lobbying, coalition building, networking and as a \r\ncatalyst for promotion of cause of women to facilitate their participation \r\nin all spheres of life including legal, economic, social and political \r\nempowerment; \r\n(g) on the recommendation of  the executive committee, fix an honorarium \r\nor remuneration of advisors, consultants and experts; \r\n(h) monitor the mechanism and institutional procedure for redressal of \r\nviolation of women’s rights; and \r\n(i) exercise any power ancillary to above powers or as may be prescribed. \r\n10. Meetings of the Commission .– (1) The Commission shall hold at least four \r\nmeetings in a year, not less than one in every quarter, on such dates and at such \r\ntimes as the Chairperson may determine. \r\n (2) The Secretary, on the directions of the C hairperson, shall call a \r\nmeeting of the Commission and shall maintain the minutes of each meeting in the \r\nmanner prescribed. \r\n (3) The Chairperson, or in case of absence of the Chairperson, a member \r\nelected by the members present in the meeting, shall chair a meeting of the \r\nCommission. \r\n (4) The quorum for the meeting of the Commission shall be one -half of the \r\ntotal membership of the Commission. \r\n (5) The decisions of the Commission shall be taken by the majority of the \r\nmembers present and voting but, in case o f a tie, the Chairperson or the person \r\npresiding the meeting shall have a second vote. \r\n (6) A decision of the Commission shall not be invalid merely for the reason \r\nof any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Commission. \r\n (7) All decisions of the Commission shall be authenticated by the signature \r\nof the Chairperson or the person who presided the meeting. \r\n11. Committees.– (1) The Commission shall appoint an Executive Committee \r\nconsisting of the Chairperson and three other members, of whom at least two  shall \r\nbe women. \r\n (2) The Executive Committee shall be responsible to oversee the \r\nimplementation of the decisions and recommendations of the Commission. \r\n (3) The Commission may constitute such other committees from amongst \r\nits members as it deems fit and m ay refer to any such committee any matter for \r\nconsideration and report. \r\n (4) The Commission may, if it considers necessary, co -opt in a committee \r\nany person possessing special knowledge and expertise in the relevant subject. \r\n (5) All committees of the Comm ission, except the Executive Committee, \r\nshall be constituted for a specified period. \r\nCHAPTER IV \r\nFINANCIAL PROVISIONS \r\n12. Fund.– (1) There shall be a Fund to be known as Punjab Commission on the \r\nStatus of Women Fund, which shall vest in the Commission. \r\n (2) The Fund shall consist of– \r\n(a) the grants-in-aid made by the Government; \r\n(b) donation made by any person, and any provincial, national and \r\ninternational agency; \r\n(c) income from investment by the Commission; and \r\n(d) all other sums or properties which may i n any manner become payable \r\nto or vest in the Commission. \r\n (3) The Fund shall be spent for purposes of performance of duties and \r\ndischarge of functions by the Commission, including expenses on the Secretariat. \r\n (4) The Commission may invest its Fund or a p art of it in the prescribed \r\nmanner or in accordance with the instructions of the Government. \r\n (5) The Chairperson shall be the principal accounting officer of the \r\nCommission. \r\n13. Accounts and audit .– (1) The Commission shall maintain proper accounts \r\nand ot her relevant record and prepare an annual statement of accounts in such \r\nmanner and form as may be prescribed. \r\n (2) The accounts of the Commission shall be annually audited by the \r\nAuditor General of Pakistan. \r\n (3) The Government may conduct or cause to be c onducted a special \r\naudit of the accounts of the Commission.  \r\n (4) The Government shall lay the annual or special audit report of the \r\nCommission in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab and shall comply with the \r\ndirections of the Provincial Assembly on an audit report of the Commission. \r\n \r\n \r\nCHAPTER V \r\nMISCELLANEOUS \r\n14. Annual report of the Commission .– (1) In January each year, the \r\nCommission shall submit an annual report on performance of each one of its \r\nfunctions to the Government. \r\n (2) The Government shall, at the earliest possible opportunity, lay the \r\nannual report of the Commission in Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. \r\n15. Assistance to the Commission .– All Provincial executive authorities shall \r\nassist the Commission in the performance of its functions. \r\n16. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution or legal proceedings shall lie against the \r\nCommission, the Chairperson or any member, officer, employee, advisor or consultant \r\nof the Commission in respect of anything done in good faith under this Act or the rules \r\nor for any order made, publication o f report by or under the authority of the \r\nCommission. \r\n17. Members and officers to be public servants .– The Chairperson, a member \r\nand every officer or employee appointed under this Act or the rules shall be deemed \r\nto be a public  servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, \r\n1860 (XLV of 1860). \r\n18. Delegation of powers.– The Commission may, subject to such conditions as \r\nit may specify, delegate any of its powers or functions to the Executive Committee or \r\nto any other committee or to the Chairperson, the Secretary or an officer of the \r\nCommission, except the functions of– \r\n(a) appointment of the Executive Committee or constitution of any other \r\ncommittee; \r\n(b) the approval of strategic plan, annual work plan, annu al performance \r\nreport and annual budget; and \r\n(c) recommendations relating to laws, rules, regulations or policies. \r\n19. Powers to make rules .– The Government may, in consultation with the \r\nCommission and by notification in the official Gazette, make rules fo r purposes of \r\ngiving effect to the provisions of this Act.",
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