Speakers at a conference on women's rights called on Wednesday for legislation for creation of a suitable environment for women at the workplace. The conference was in connection with March 8's International Women's Day. It was held by the Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP), in collaboration with the International Labor Organisation. Fasihul Karim Siddiqi, the EFP's general secretary, urged the federal government to enact laws to create equal work opportunities for women.
He said that government should also introduce policies to encourage women entrepreneurs working from home. He complained that there were no facts and figures on such women, saying he hoped the current census will produce such information. Zaheer Alam of the ILO said there must be more opportunities for women in the private and industrial sectors. Samia Zia, a faculty member at Bahria University, said academia could play a more meaningful role in women's development.