Pakistan joins the International Community to observe International Women’s Day on 8th March every year. On this encouraging occasion, I take the opportunity to reaffirm our national and international commitments for the protection and promotion of women’s rights. The theme of this year is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are making efforts to cope with the challenge of climate change and build a more sustainable future for all of us.
As a member state of United Nations, Pakistan fully endorses the Charter of the United Nations which strives to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without any discrimination of gender. The words of the Father of our Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, are the guiding principle that “No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men”.
The Constitution of Pakistan also ensures fundamental rights and ample guarantees to women against all forms of discrimination, exploitation, marginalization, in addition to the right to equality, to grow and lead a healthy and prosperous life.
It gives me great pleasure to mention that Pakistan has made significant progress to empower women financially by providing them business loans on easy terms and conditions and making legislation to ensure their right to inheritance as well as protect them against harassment.
Empowerment of women has been the centre piece of all policies, plans and programmes of the present Government and we highlight our initiatives and achievements in relation to gender equality and equity at all International for a, including United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Beijing platform for Action, Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Today, I call upon the civil society organizations, NGOs, Philanthropists, UN Agencies, International Partners, Government and Private Departments and particularly the women themselves to come forward and play their crucial role to support Government efforts to address gender disparities in Pakistan.
EMBARGOED: NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE 8TH MARCH 2022
