Ahsan Premee
Staff writer
Associated Press Service
Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said the present government has a definite agenda for women development and empowerment and efforts are underway to promote gender equality, end violence against women and create further economic opportunities for them. Addressing a national convention in connection with the International Women Day here on Sunday, he said nobody can deny the importance and vitality of women’s contribution to the national and international socio‑economic development.
He said the convention is an opportunity for effective representation of women from all parts of the country and is an expression of the will and determination of Pakistani women for a better tomorrow.
Gilani said, “Our belief in the equality of women originates from the teachings of the Holy Quran.” Pakistan, as an active member in the comity of nations, has taken tangible initiatives for an accelerated improvement in the status of women, he said adding the government has been endeavoring to bring a positive change in the lives of women within the available resources.
“We want them to realize their full potential as equal citizens of the country.” He pointed out there is a full‑fledged Ministry of Women Development which was created in 1989 during the premiership of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. Narrating achievements of the past PPP governments, he said the then government made women development a priority. Women police stations were set up; First Women Bank was established; medical and technical assistance training programmes for women were launched in hospitals all over the country.
Similarly, computer training programme was initiated in the public sector colleges for women, and a quota of five per cent was reserved for women in public sector jobs. In 1996, Pakistan ratified the United Nations Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women.
Gilani said all these landmark initiatives were taken by our earlier governments and the present government is fully cognizant of the existing critical issues and problems confronting women, ranging from family life to national life.
“Women are victims of gruesome acts of violence. It takes the form of honour killings, acid throwing, rapes, and forced marriages. It happens also in the form of denial of right to inheritance, demand for dowry, and harassment at workplace. We consider these evils, not only as crimes against women, but crimes against humanity. Unfortunately, these crimes have become deep rooted in our social fabric, centuries old customs and un‑Islamic traditions. Illiteracy and poverty further compound the issues.”
Under a four pronged strategy, efforts are underway to reduce feminized poverty, promote gender equality, end violence against women and legislate laws to empower women, he added.
He said that two bills, namely Protection against Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2009; and Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2009, are being introduced in the National Assembly shortly while, Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2009, is being finalized in consultation with all stakeholders.
Legislation to enable women to own property and assets is being formulated and it is being ensured that the existing 10% quota for women in the public sector jobs is fulfilled. Efforts are underway to establish Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Centres for Women in every district of the country, he added.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring gender justice and equality and enabling women to play their due role in the socio-economic development of Pakistan, in line with the vision of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed.
“The government, in line with the vision of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, is determined to enable women to play their due role in the socio-economic development of Pakistan”, the Prime Minister said in a message on the International Women’s Day 2009, being observed across the world on March 08.
He said he is certain that all of us, regardless of gender, will unite to end violence against women and girls as well as for combating the social attitudes and behaviors that condone, tolerate, excuse or ignore the prejudices against women.
“These prejudices persist in every country as a pervasive violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality. Zero tolerance of violation against women is the target of this government”, Gilani maintained.
The Prime Minister said like other countries in the world, Pakistan, too, is committed to ensuring gender justice and equality in the country, adding, “No nation can afford to ignore women as they from almost fifty percent of the world’s population.”
He said the government accords high priority to the development and empowerment of women, and is addressing issues pertaining to discriminatory laws, introducing new legislation and has earnestly stepped up its efforts to eliminate abuse of women in all its forms with the active involvement of women parliamentarians, civil society organizations and NGOs.
“The elimination of discrimination has to be achieved through the dedicated efforts to the entire nation”, he added.
The Prime Minister said he is confident that “if we safeguard the rights and acknowledge the contribution of women in our development agenda, we can make Pakistan a peaceful and a prosperous country.”
President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the government feels a special responsibility towards the women-related issues and considers promotion of women’s rights as a moral, political and religious obligation. In a message on International Women Day, President Zardari, also the co-chairperson of Paksitan Peoples Party said, “On this occasion let us resolve to protect women from discrimination and violence.”
The President said women the world over and in Pakistan, have been subjected to varying degrees of discrimination, exploitation and violence. He said the discrimination against them, in some cases embedded in the law,and their backwardness has nothing to do either with the religion or cultural
values. “It is simply the result of prejudice. This situation must change; it will,” he said.
President Zardari said Pakistan has the distinction of having Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto the first woman ever elected as Prime Minister of an Islamic nation. He mentioned that for the first time, the country had woman as the Speaker of National Assembly. “These are distinctions of which the women of Pakistan, indeed all of us, can genuinely feel proud,” he said. President Zardari said during the two tenures of Shaheed Mohtarma Bhutto government, a trend was set in gender equality and protection of women from violence.
“Let us resolve today to make that trend now irreversible,” he said.
He congratulated the women of the world in general and of Pakistan in
particular, and said he saluted them for their heroic struggle for emancipation and an end to discrimination.
He said the introduction of Benazir Income Support Program with focus on women is a step in the direction of empowering women of the country. He said the journey may be long but the bearings are correct.
The President urged the members of Parliament to revisit the laws discriminatory to women adopted by male prejudice and begin to review them.
He said a thought should also be given to expand the Benazir Income Support
Program into a comprehensive social action programme largely for the benefit of women in rural areas.
Zardari asked the political parties to join hands beyond partisan politics to extricate women from the agony and embarrassment of discriminatory laws.
“Let us on this day send a powerful message that crimes against women would
not be tolerated,” he said.
He also appealed for the mobilization of the collective power of women to help make out country, the region and the world more tolerant, harmonious and secure.
“I am confident that together we will win the fight,” he said.
He said the celebrations under the auspices of the United Nations
demonstrate that women everywhere are waking up.
Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fehmida Mirza has said that womenfolk comprise more than 50 per cent of the total population of the country and their participation is imperative for the national development and prosperity. In her message on the International Women’s Day she said that women representation in public affairs was central to the functioning and strengthening of democracy and struggle against oppression.
She said that it was the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to empower women so that they could better contribute in the national development. In realization of the vision of Benazir Bhutto women have been sufficiently represented in the present Parliament and opportunities are being provided to them for their enhanced role in the national development, she added.
Dr. Fehmida Mirza said that the women were also subject to violence, economic exploitation and lack of basic healthcare facilities and education. She said that present government was committed to bringing changes in the relevant laws to provide safe working environment for women. She said that miscreants involved in violence and oppression against women would be dealt with sternly so that deterrence is created against such acts. She said that on this day we should resolve to protect women from discrimination and violence.
The NA Speaker said that the government was committed to providing basic healthcare facilities and education to women and has allocated substantial funds for this purpose. Women need to be economically empowered, therefore women entrepreneurs are being encouraged to play active role in economic activity, she said.
Dr. Fehmida said that the establishment of Women Parliamentary Caucus in the National Assembly was a significant achievement, which she added had been formed with the objectives fo protecting women rights and empowering them politically and economically. Women Caucus would leave no stone unturned in mobilizing the collective power of women to make Pakistan, the region and the world more tolerant, harmonious and secure, she added. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said the government has a clear agenda for the protection and development of women and it is determined to implement its reforms on gender equality. Addressing a national convention in connection with the International Women’s Day here on Sunday, she said the PPP government has a conscious belief that no serious policy initiatives can filter down to the grassroots without women’s ownership of those policies and their proactive engagement. In recognition of this reality, the PPP has always partnered its reform agenda for women with civil society and the party made it a priority that women should be brought in the mainstream, she added. Sherry said the international women’s day is dedicated to recognition of women as a potent and equal force of social, economic and political change for societies. She mentioned that the government led by Prime Minister Gilani is directing considerable resources and energy at expanding its women‑centred initiatives. She said the People’s Party has always had one great advantage in terms of women: its leadership has pioneered change, and until today remains committed to the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto encapsulated in the 1973 constitutionand to the global championing of women’s rights by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
“Mohtarma lights our way to progress and has laid many goalposts for reform that we look to as our government’s agenda for change.” She said People’s Party recognizes that women’s rights cannot be separated from fundamental human rights and democracy and political participation are essential to women empowerment, particularly in the Muslim world.
It is only the democratic experience that invariably empowers women, in articulating a vision, pursuing goals and sharing collective experiences, she added. The Minister recalled that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir’s government was the first to actively ainstream women in the social and non‑social sectors.
“Mohtarma appointed women judges to our higher judiciary and instituted women police stations. A Women Bank still powers women in small businesses whilea sports board promotes women for competing at national and international forums.Human Rights was accorded a full fledged ministry and a National Commission onthe Status of Women was initiated. Despite severe opposition from some quarters Pakistan became a signatory to the international Convention on Discrimination Against Women.
Today, even in the health sector, Pakistan’s largest field health programmeat the primary care level, Mohtarma Shaheed’s Lady Health Workers program, has become a gold standard among public health practitioners the world over,” she enumerated.
The Minister noted that Pakistan’s development indicators for women health,education and economic empowerment continue to be a source of worry. “Similarly, we are faced with the global after shocks of growing poverty, food and energy insecurity in Pakistan, the brunt of which is undoubtedly being borne by women as care givers and bread‑earners for their families,” she added.
The Minister pointed out that legislation that criminalises violence and harassment of women has been introduced by the government, but laws even when enacted are not enough. “We need social change for that, we need state action against criminals,which we are taking , but we also need the power of education so we can save lives from honour killing and acid burning, as well as from other crimes against women,” she added.
Speaking on the occasion, Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fehmida Mirza renewed the government’s commitment to women development and progress. She said women need an enabling environment to achieve their political,economic and social rights. The Speaker said women in Pakistan have come a long way and they are now present in assemblies and performing remarkable job in judiciary, military and foreign missions. A long list of women have become role models for their sisters, who are striving to realise their dreams and aspirations, she added. Without participation of women, rule of law, a strong democracy cannot be ensured, she said. Fehmida said history bears testimony to the struggle of women for their basic rights. She said Quaid‑e‑Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah forcefully endorsed the inclusion of women in all walks of life.
Referring to the dismal state of women in the world, particularly in Pakistan, she called for concerted efforts to improve gender equality. ASSOCIATED PRESS SERVICE,ISLAMABAD
