Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said women in Pakistan were being politically and economically empowered and playing an active role in nation building. Speaking here on the topic of "Women as Agents of Change" during the Second Retreat Session of the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Gilani apprised the world leaders about the steps the government has taken for the advancement of women in the country.
He highlighted that these measures include increasing their participation in the workforce and protecting their rights through legislation. Gilani said women constitute almost 50 percent of the Commonwealth population and any agenda of reform and development cannot achieve tangible results without active and forthcoming involvement of women.
Gilani said Pakistani women have made significant contributions by working side by side with men in all the areas of productivity and were rendering valuable services to the socio-economic development and prosperity of Pakistan. He said besides selection on merit, 10 percent seats have been reserved for women in all governmental jobs to maximise women participation in the workforce.
Similarly 30 percent seats in the Parliament are reserved for women in addition to direct open elections to encourage them in politics. Gilani pointed that Pakistan has the unique distinction to elect the first woman Prime Minister in the Muslim world. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was twice elected as Prime Minister.
He also apprised the participants about the legislation enacted by the Parliament for the protection of women rights. He said Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2009 and the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Bill, 2010 have been enacted to address the issue of harassment of women at workplace both in public and private sectors.
He said political empowerment of women has been among the top priorities of the democratic government. Currently there were 76 women legislators in the National Assembly out of 342 members, including some of the key positions of Speaker of the National Assembly Fahmeeda Mirza and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar. The Prime Minister also mentioned the initiatives taken for economic empowerment of women including the innovative Benazir Income Support Programme to provide cash grants to female heads of poor households.
Under this programme, about Rs 100 billion have been distributed to around 8.5 million families. He said Pakistan was also a State Party to the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Pakistan's combined 2nd and 3rd periodic reports were examined by the UN CEDAW Committee of Experts during its 38th Session held in New York from 14th May to 1st June, 2007. The 4th periodic report has been submitted in June 2011. He said Pakistan was also a party to Saarc Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.