'Pakistan committed to women's emancipation'
On the International Day for Women I wish to compliment the women in
general and the women of Pakistan in particular for their struggle for
their rights on the one hand and reiterate the commitment of the
Government of Pakistan to emancipate and empower women of the country,
said Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on the occasion of
International Women Day yesterday.
He stated: "The promotion of women's rights is part of the history of
struggle of the Pakistan Peoples Party. As the first woman ever elected
to head an Islamic nation, our leader Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
felt a special responsibility to address issues relating to women.
"In the West, the women's liberation movement began in the 20th
century. In the Islamic world, the women's rights movement is as old as
Islam itself although, unfortunately, one would not know this when
looking at our society. The task before us all, especially the PPP, is
to restore them in our society and end discrimination and violence
against women once and for all.
"It was this vision of the PPP leaders that the government of Shaheed
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Shaheed appointed women for the first time in the
subordinate judiciary and the police force. The subsequent PPP
governments appointed women to the High Courts and created special
family courts headed by women judges and special women's police force to
investigate crimes against women. We did not want women facing shame in
having to relate to men the violence they may have been subjected to.
"For the first time in our history we have, under the present
government, a woman Speaker, a woman as Foreign Minister and a woman as
our Ambassador to the United States. We have a separate Ombudsperson for
Women.
"A number of far reaching legislative measures have been adopted
during the last four years to address issues relating to women and to
empower them.
The measures include protecting women from harassment at workplace,
preventing acid attacks, discouraging anti women practices, creation of
a Fund for women in distress and detention and legislation to punish
several offences against women including depriving them from inheritance
and forced marriage.
"Most recently the National Commission on Status of Women was enacted
into an empowered, independent and autonomous body to protect the
social, economic, and legal rights of women. The job quota for women in
government services has been increased to ten percent.
"We live in an age of terrorism where human life seems to have lost
value. But we do not accept such a world where humans are disposable
statistics. For us each human life is precious. The PPP believes that
one of the best methods to confront terrorism is to raise the status of
women. When opportunities for women flourish, extremism withers. "On the
eve of the International Women Day therefore I once again compliment the
women and assure them of the fullest support in their just struggle for
rights." |