PAKISTAN: Women Empowerment is Gov't Commitment

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has reiterated the commitment for social, political and economic empowerment of women to ensure their active participation in the national development process.

He was inaugurating three-day women convention on the Role of women Parliamentarians in peace, security and reconciliation here Tuesday organised by Women Parliamentarians Caucus.

Gilani said empowerment of women and their role in politics and economy would not only help bringing peace and promoting reconciliation. He said participation of the women from SAARC countries will also help further bringing close the women of the this region to work collectively for the benefit of humanity in general and protection of women rights in particular.

He said we all have to make joint efforts to give significant role to the women who represent fifty percent of the population in political decision-making process that would also help promote peace and reconciliation.

Gilani paid rich tributes to shaheed Benazir Bhutto who played a vital role for protection of women rights and give them due status in the society. He said it was shaheed Benazir Bhutto who gave the vision of political reconciliation in the country that has led to a strong democracy. She also made tremendous efforts for the rights of women particularly population welfare, ending domestic violence and provision of employment opportunities to the women.

He expressed the confidence that following the vision of shaheed leader, the women parliamentarians will make strenous efforts to ensure protection of women rights particularly the vulnerable. He appreciated the role being played by the women parliamentarians and other women activists of the civil society to supplement the government in its efforts to overcome extremism and terrorism.

The Prime Minister said government believes in equal rights in the society without gender discrimination and it is the PPP which gave first women Prime Minister and Speaker of the National Assembly to Pakistan and the Musilm world.

He said the government is amending discriminatory laws against women to provide them equal opportunities in the society to progress.

He said the government has taken a number of steps to improve the lot of women including implementation of ten percent quota in employment, appointment of women Ombudsman and constituting women commission. He hoped that the provincial governments will also appoint women ombudsmen to provide protection to the women.

In their welcome addresses Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fehmida Mirza and Minister of State for Affairs Ammad Ahmad Khan highlighted the importance of women participation in national affairs and their economic and political empowerment for sustainable socio-economic development of the country.

The Prime Minister said the role of women parliamentarians from the SAARC countries in making peace and promoting reconciliation through dialogue is important for achieving great progress and to improve the lot of one fifth of the world population.

The Prime Minister said tension in the region is not helping any country rather diverting precious resources to non- development sectors and urged for making every effort to promote peace and reconciliation.

He said many countries including Pakistan have shown that women have become a central part of the political decision making process and there is a greater chance for positive socio change for sustainable peace.

He appreciated the role of women parliamentarians for peace and reconciliation and urged them to recall the legacy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.