Pakistan has told an event marking International Women’s Day that women under foreign occupation, like in Indian Occupied Kashmir and Palestine, face myriad of challenges, ranging from systemic oppression to grave human rights abuses. In his remarks at the event, organized by Group of Friends on Gender Parity, Ambassador Munir Akram said that the women were facing increased vulnerability to violence, exploitation, and discrimination, as their rights are often violated with impunity, especially in a situation of foreign occupation. Endorsing the UN Secretary General’s remarks about the plight of Palestinian women in Gaza, the Pakistani envoy said that foreign occupation also restricted women’s access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, thus perpetuating cycles of poverty and disenfranchisement. Ambassador Akram commended the Secretary-General for achieving the target of gender parity at the senior UN management level in 2021, in line with the vision of the United Nations Gender Parity Strategy. “Gender parity plays a significant role in women’s empowerment and for building inclusive workplaces and societies,” he said. The Pakistani envoy further highlighted the imperative of taking measures to promote greater gender parity. He said there was currently an imbalance in the representation of women from developed and developing countries and from all regions, adding that equitable geographical representation at the United Nations would make the organization more dynamic, robust and truly representative of the aspirations of the peoples from all regions and continents. Ambassador Akram also drew the attention of the UN to the challenge of debt sustainability facing the developing countries. He said that debt sustainability remains a pressing issue for many developing countries, as they grapple with the dual challenges of climate change and debt burdens. He underlined that balancing the need for climate finance with debt sustainability requires innovative financing mechanisms. By aligning climate finance with debt relief strategies, developing countries can better manage their financial obligations while advancing climate action and building a more sustainable and sustainable future, he added.