On 2 February 2012, the Pakistan Senate unanimously approved the "National Commission on the Status of Women Bill 2012" to protect women's rights against discrimination. The new bill replaces the National Commission on the Status of Women Ordinance from 2000 and strenghtens the Commission by giving it financial and administrative autonomy through an independent Secretariat.

The Commission will gather information, investigate, monitor and advise on issues regarding women's rights violations, as well as have increased responsibilities to oversee the international commitments by the government on all women's issues.