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Monday, March 08, 2010
International Women’s Day today: Parliament should revise discriminatory laws, says Zardari
* President says PPP committed to forwarding Benazir’s vision
* PM says empowering women present govt’s top-most priorityISLAMABAD: The members of parliament should revise all laws discriminatory to women in order to help make Pakistan a more tolerant, harmonious and secure country, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday.
Speaking in connection with the International Women’s Day, which is to be observed today (Monday), he said, “The observance of this day under the auspices of the United Nations demonstrates that today everywhere in the world there is an increased awareness among the women as to their rights… I would take this occasion to congratulate and salute not only the women in general but the women of Pakistan in particular for their continuous struggle for their emancipation and empowerment.”
While congratulating the Ministry of Women Development for its arrangements in connection with the celebrations of the day, he said this year’s theme of “equal rights, equal opportunities; progress for all” required that concrete legislative and administrative steps be taken to empower women in the country. He lauded the efforts of the present government in successfully passing the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Bill, 2010.
The president informed that the government had declared all the women of Pakistan as the beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
BB’s pledges: Zardari remarked that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was fully committed to the welfare of women and the ideology of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir, who had remarked, “women’s rights are inseparable from human rights”.
He added that the fulfillment of pledges made by Benazir at the Beijing Conference and in the (CEDAW) were the sure ways to achieve gender equality in Pakistan.
“She set the trend in gender equality and protection of women from violence. We resolve today to make that trend irreversible,” he added.
He appealed to all the political parties to join hands to extricate women from the agony and embarrassment of discriminatory laws. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in his message for the International Women’s Day, said, “I would like to congratulate all the women of Pakistan and the world over for their relentless efforts and sacrifices, they have and are still making to free this world from discrimination, oppression and biases.”
Top-most priority: He reaffirmed the present government’s commitment to achieving women empowerment as its top-most priority, saying, “Our constitution already guarantees fundamental rights to the citizens without any gender-based discrimination.” He assured that the government, keeping in line with Benazir’s vision was not only making efforts to prevent the exploitation of women but also empower them in the true sense of the word.
Gilani said that in this connection, concerted efforts were being made for the social, economic, legal and political empowerment of women by providing micro-credit facilities, skill training, rehabilitation of women in distress, mobility services and creating awareness among women.
He said the launch of BISP, passage of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2009 and legislation for the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Bill, 2009 were steps in the right direction.
He assured that the government would further review, repeal and amend all other discriminatory laws to safeguard and promote the interests of women. staff report/app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk