ISLAMABAD: The Government of Canada is an ardent supporter of women’s rights both at home and around the world. Canada has successfully implemented gender equality programmes in Pakistan over the last 30 years. The Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum has been hosted by the High Commission of Canada since 2011. This year, the scope of the forum wasand humanitaria expanded to address women’s empowerment and women’s rights in all aspects — political, economic, social, n. The Forum looked at the underlying social and cultural factors that constrain women’s ability to be equal and active participants in Pakistan’s social, economic and political arena. The Forum complements the celebrations of Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation, which underscores Canada’s promotion of diversity, pluralism and gender equality. The Women’s Empowerment Forum brought together a diverse range of women and men. Panelists addressed the major challenges to women’s social, political, and economic participation and empowerment, such as the impact of harmful cultural practices, biased social attitudes, non-gender responsive police and judiciary, and religious extremism and intolerance. The participants – development professionals, rural women, the private sector, and government representatives – discussed themes such as the enforcement of progressive legislation, their experience and views on measures needed to support women’s social and economic mobility, and promoting women’s engagement in decision-making. “When women are politically empowered, they can help create an enabling environment for their increased economic participation,” said High Commissioner Perry Calderwood. “When women are empowered economically, their family and community benefits. Similarly by promoting women’s rights, all marginalised groups standto benefit. A society that upholds women’s rights will also respect the rights of religious minorities; the rights of children – especially those victims of exploitation and trafficking and the rights of LGBT people. I invite you today to reflect on how we, collectively, can promote these rights as we advance those of women.” This Forum informs the direction of Canada’s future gender programming in Pakistan. Studies of the situation of women in Pakistan illustrate limited mobility, gender stereotyping, rigid gender roles and the prevalence of gender-based violence. These social inequalities are further exacerbated for women in times of disasters and displacements. Women’s challenges are reflected in Pakistan’s rank on the Global Gender Gap Index of the World Economic Forum, on which Pakistan stands in the 143rd position among 144 countries as of 2016. Women and girls are affected disproportionately by Pakistan’s multidimensional poverty, and overall 4 out of 10 Pakistanis live in poverty.