Pakistan joins the International Community to observe International Women’s Day on 8th March every year. On this day, I take the opportunity to reaffirm our national and international commitments for the protection and promotion of women’s rights with special emphasis on this year’s UN theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all. In other words, it is an opportunity for the countries to better understand the gender impact of climate change, environment degradation and disaster management.
Pakistan, being a party, to a number of key international commitments pertaining to gender equality and women’s empowerment particularly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals, has made significant progress to improve the status of women by taking legislative, policy and administrative measures.
As we know, no nation can make progress without participation of women, who constitute no less than half of our current population. This day serves as a historical reminder of the struggle initiated by women’s rights activists against discriminatory policies and legislations of the time, and is a testament to their efforts bearing fruit.
The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees many fundamental freedoms and ensures protection of women from all kinds of discriminations. Accordingly, to fulfil international commitments and constitutional guarantees, efforts are underway for social, economic, political and legal empowerment of women.
Our Government has initiated several interventions for economic empowerment of women as well as their social protection schemes under Ehsaas are Interest-Free Loans, Amdan (Income) programme, Kafaalat and Nashonuma program. Other major financial initiatives include Sehat Sahulat Programme, micro finance opportunity, inheritance rights to land and property, as well as, providing enabling and conducive working environment at the workplace.
Moreover, Vocational Training Centres also known as Women Empowerment Centres (WECs) have been established throughout the country to provide free training skills to widows, orphans and poor girls including women with disabilities.
Recently, the Government of Pakistan through The Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Act, 2020 secures the rights of ownership and possession of both movable and immovable property owned by women, ensuring that such rights are not violated by means of harassment, coercion, force, or fraud. Authority of deciding the cases related to inheritance of women has been given to Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH).
While the Government continues to work towards strengthening laws, policies and their implementation to protect the rights of women, we acknowledge that it is equally important to work towards changing cultural norms and mindsets regarding the place and role of women in society. I would like to reiterate that protection of women and ensuring their rightful place in our society is a challenge that requires individual as well as collective efforts.
On this day, I urge all stakeholders to continue their efforts towards empowering women and providing them equal opportunities. I am confident that if we prioritise and highlight the rights, achievements and contributions of women as part of our development agendas we can make real progress in making Pakistan a peaceful and opportune land, especially for women.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
