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Thursday, May 27, 2010
Women’s participation must for genuine democracy: Zardari
* President tells women parliamentarians govt taking steps for uplift and progress of women
* Assures full support for emancipation and empowerment of womenISLAMABAD: Real democratic process cannot take root without active participation of women especially in a country like Pakistan where women constitute 50 percent of the total population, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Wednesday.
He said this while addressing a meeting of women parliamentarians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka during the third and last day of the national convention on ‘Role of Women Parliamentarians in Peace, Security and Reconciliation’ organised by the Women’ Parliamentary Caucus (WPC).
Female members of the National Assembly, the Senate, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Balitstan Assemblies were also present.
“In 1995 during the government of Benazir Bhutto Pakistan signed the landmark Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW),” the president said, urging the WPC to give a thought and devise a mechanism to implement the pledges made in the document on CEDAW for the uplift of women and to end all forms of discrimination against them.
He also urged women parliamentarians to use this convention to forge stronger links not only amongst themselves but also with all those struggling for gender equality and emancipation of women.
Support: The president assured complete support of the PPP and the government to women parliamentarians in their struggle for the emancipation of women as well as for peace, security and reconciliation. The president said the women of Pakistan have rendered great sacrifices for socio-political and economic emancipation and empowerment in Pakistan.
“The journey on the road of emancipation has not been an easy one for the women in Pakistan. They have been the victims of male prejudice for a long time. The fight against male prejudice has not been an easy one. The women in Pakistan have faced great obstacles in their fight for their rights. Their story has been a story of hurdles and successes”, the president said.
He urged women to stand shoulder to shoulder with men in the endeavours for a tolerant, peaceful and secure Pakistan, APP reported.
President Zardari said the world could become a more peaceful place with greater participation of women in decision-making.
President Zardari said democracy was the only system that could help create conditions in which women were empowered and emancipated. The president said women of the region needed democracy for their development and emancipation. staff report/app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk