ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that the government is committed to liberate women and protect them from all kinds of exploitation and violence.
He said this in his message on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women being commemorated throughout the world on 25th November.
The speaker said that violence against women is a serious human rights abuse that needs to be eliminated through coordinated efforts. The violence against women- both physical and mental – happens everywhere and its consequences last for generations, thus, posing threats to the social fabric of societies around the globe.
He said that political forces are determined to make Pakistan a place where everyone has the same opportunities to participate in all walks of life with dignity and self-esteem. He said that the parliament of Pakistan is fully aware of its responsibility to protect and guard the rights of women, who make up more than half of the country’s population.
He said that the present government has taken various steps to bring them into the mainstream. To ensure women’s suitable participation in government jobs their quota has been raised from 5% to 15%. He said that centres for immediate response are being constructed across the country for women who are victims of domestic violence.
The speaker said that the formation of Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) was a joint effort by the female parliamentarians and they are committed to playing a key role in putting together all areas around a common agenda to ensure protection and access of rights for women.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called upon the civil society, NGOs, international development partners, media, corporate sector, and particularly the women themselves to come forward and play their role for the protection of women’s rights against violence.
The National Assembly Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi, in a separate message, has said that women in Pakistan were greatly contributing to the development and prosperity of the country. He said that any kind of violence, exploitation or discrimination tantamount to bar women in playing their role in the growth of the country.
He said that only a society run with golden principles of gender equality and non-discrimination can move forward in the 21st Century.
