LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has announced that a bill prohibiting the disclosure of gender during the pregnancy would be tabled soon to end the trend of sex-selective abortion.
She revealed this while addressing a seminar on “Ending Gender-Based Violence” held under the ambit of the Punjab Government in collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN).
“This saddens me that some people get to know about the sex of the baby during pregnancy and abort the child if it were not a boy,” she regretted.
“Remember that the Prophet (PBUH) condemned this stigma. Islam provides equal rights to woman, let’s implement Islamic teachings in letter and in spirit”, she said.
She added that Prime Minister Imran Khan openly accredits his mother for his success, a proof of which is the establishment of Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital.
The provincial health minister reiterated that no society can move forward without empowering women. “Violence against a woman disturb the whole family and society in the larger context,” she said.
She regretted that this vulnerability was not exclusive to women from developing countries and appreciated UNWOMEN for joining hands with Punjab government to end violence against women.
“Pakistan stands at number 6 in the list of countries where gender-based violence is a common practice. Time has come to push Pakistan in a new direction by empowering our woman folk”, she concluded.
