ISLAMABAD: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Marvi Memon and Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP) Global Co-Chair Elizabeth Broderick agreed for working together on gender equality.
Elizabeth Broderick, who also holds an office of United Nations Global Compact and Special Adviser to Under-Secretary UN Women in a meeting with the BISP chairperson here on Monday discussed that there is strong need to link women to speaking opportunities.
It would help raise their voices against discrimination and violence, they opined and stated to work together for the promotion of gender diverse environment, women empowerment and elimination of domestic and family violence.
Elizabeth is the founder of “Male Champions of Change”. She is currently on a country’s visit to discuss efforts underway in Australia, Pakistan and globally to advance women’s equality and to engage private as well as public sector leaders to support and propagate policies on gender equality.
It is pertinent to mention here that Marvi Memon is also World Bank Advisory Council on Gender and Development member.
During the meeting, Elizabeth said that gender equality is one of the most significant societal and economic issues.
“We need more decent powerful men to step up beside women in building a gender equal world,” she said.
If women are left out intentionally, then they are excluded by the system unintentionally, that’s why we need to increase women representation at every forum for sustainable development. “To start with, we must champion gender equality in our organisations if we want a visible change and increase of women in leadership positions,” she further stated.
During the discussion on efforts in Pakistan for women empowerment, Marvi Memon said that BISP, by providing financial assistance to 5.4 million most vulnerable households through women head of families, contributed directly to the women empowerment in the country.
She also mentioned 50,000 BISP Beneficiary Committees (BBCs) across the country which is a real women empowerment tool. Through these committees, poor and illiterate women are educated on gender violence and are encouraged to stand up for their legal rights in the family as well in the society.
The women are also trained to take care of themselves and their families by training them on nutrition, health and gender sensitive curriculum.
Marvi Memon’s landmark acid legislation also came under discussion which provides protection to women against violence and has increased prosecution rate for this heinous crime.
It was also discussed that issues of domestic and family violence result into low contribution in the national economy and highlighting these issues can add to voice and agency of women.
