The 'International Women's Day' was observed here on Tuesday like other parts of the country as well as rest of the world with a renewed pledge that all-out efforts will be made for giving due respect, economic empowerment and social justice to women by eliminating violence and providing them all opportunities in national development. To mark the day, various NGOs and institutions across the country organised functions in which speakers highlighted significance of the day. They said that no nation could achieve the goal of progress and prosperity without giving equal opportunities to women in all spheres of life.
They were of the view that the violence affects lives of millions of women and children world-wide, in all socio-economic and educational circles.
"Violence against women constitutes a violation of basic human rights and is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace.
Some females fall prey to violence before they are born, when expectant parents abort their unborn daughters, hoping for sons instead," they said.
Various NGOs including Project for Environment, Anti-Narcotics and Community Education (Peace), Pak Women Welfare Association and Pakistan Society of Family Physicians organised separate functions in which speakers said sexual harassment of women reinforces and reflects the idea of non-professionalism on the part of affected workers.
They urged the government to take necessary steps to check increasing incidents of sexual harassment at workplaces and constitute a special body so that victims could lodge their complaints there.
They maintained that sexual harassment at workplaces is the most common form of gender discrimination faced by women, yet it remains invisible, unacknowledged and unattended in our society. Sexual harassment not only negates the basic fundamental rights of women but also restricts them from effectively participating in the society and utilising their potentials and capabilities to the fullest.
This results into the social, psychological and economic sufferings of half of the population of this land, besides negative implications in the social and economic growth at national level.