Razia Mehsud becomes first woman Jirga member

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: In a significant move towards enhancing the rights of women in accessing justice and taking part in decisions at the local level, Razia Mehsud has been appointed to the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC).

She is thus becoming the first-ever woman to be appointed to the body that adjudicates disputes within the community in the district of Upper South Waziristan.

Her selection has been welcomed in social, tribal, and public circles as a major step forward for including women from all backgrounds into administrative and dispute resolution processes.

The 17-member body was constituted on the recommendation of Upper South Waziristan District Police Officer (DPO) Arshad Khan by the Regional Police Officer (RPO) of the Dera Ismail Khan Region. Since the DRC’s establishment, no female has been selected for membership.

Who is Razia Mehsud?

“Razia Mehsud is a well-known social activist who will be playing a key role in addressing these issues and ensuring that the complaints of women are being addressed more effectively and also ensure the justice process becomes easily accessible for female complainants.”

A spokesperson from local social activists added: “The addition of Razia Mehsud (social activist) in this committee would not only encourage more women to come forward with their complaints but also increase their confidence in our local institution, which would give a strong voice for women in community-level decisions.”

Public Representatives, Social figures, and tribal elders welcomed the decision, stating, “The recruitment of Razia Mehsud was considered as historic milestone not just in the Upper South Waziristan district but also for whole waziristan regions”.

They further stated that this step can pave the road for more involvement by women in the social, administrative, and governance structure of the tribal districts.