PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Deputy Speaker Dr Mehr Taj Roghani has said that legislation is needed to do away with discrimination and violence against women.

Addressing a function here on Monday in the presence of provincial assembly speaker and senior minister, she highlighted as to how women in government and legislature were faced with inequality and discrimination.

`What to say of big things, basic facilities like restrooms and retiring rooms for women are missing in government offices, civil secretariat. Even in provincial assembly and Chief Minister House washrooms for women are very few or missing,` she told the function, organised by Provincial Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW).PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Deputy Speaker Dr Mehr Taj Roghani has said that legislation is needed to do away with discrimination and violence against women.

Addressing a function here on Monday in the presence of provincial assembly speaker and senior minister, she highlighted as to how women in government and legislature were faced with inequality and discrimination.

`What to say of big things, basic facilities like restrooms and retiring rooms for women are missing in government offices, civil secretariat. Even in provincial assembly and Chief Minister House washrooms for women are very few or missing,` she told the function, organised by Provincial Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW).The function was held in connection with upcoming International Women`s Day, being observed on March 8 all over the world to celebrate and recognise achievements of women and highlight their struggle for rights.

Dr Mehr Taj said that domestic violence and psychological torture, which seemed invisible to many, were quite huge issues but even something as basic as a washroom or retiring room or even feeding room for working women was missing at government offices.

She also highlighted as to how young women of ficers were deprived of field postings by the government as they were considered incapable of performing their duty. `Thanks God the salaries are equal to that of men but of ten single women officers are deprived of a government residence as they are considered incapable of living alone,` said Dr Mehr Taj.

The deputy speaker said that legislation was needed to do away with discrimination and violence against women but she sounded unsure as she thought mindset needed a change and that seemed a bit dif ficult.

Speaker Asad Qaiser promised to facilitate legislation to ensure women`s rights but went on to speak on how much he loved his mother and daughter. He said that women brought sat-isfaction to a man`s life and world was a happening place because of women.

Senior Minister Sikander Sherpao also appreciate d women as daughters, mothers, sisters and wives and specially paid tributes to those women, who lost their men in the war against terrorism. He went away after fulfilling the ceremonial requirement of the function. PCSW chairperson Neelam Turo said that the commission was going to push for Domestic Violence Bill and Acid Throwing and Burning Bill to protect women in the province against violence.

She said that honour killing law would be reviewed and women`s trafficking bill would be worked on by the commission.

Amina Ilahi, representing Asia Foundation, said that although significant progressive legislation was passed during the past decade, Pakistan was second lowest performing country in the world in terms of gender equality according to World Economist Forum 2015 gender gap report.

Legislator and chairperson of KP Assembly Women Caucus Meraj Hamayun, spoke about the ef forts of women legislators to make their voice heard in the assembly and work for legislation on women issues.