Daily Times

ISLAMABAD/ST PETERSBURG: Pakistan People’s Party leader and Centre for Pakistan & Gulf Studies (CPGS) president while representing Pakistan at the second Eurasian Forum being held in St Petersburg, Russia, said that women have a vital role to play to ensure and promote peace, prosperity and stability in the world.

The theme of the forum is Women for Sustainable Development of the Global World, about which Sehar Kamran said, would help in highlighting the opportunities and initiatives for women vying for a socio-economic and equitable world.

She is also a member of the Senate Forum for Policy Research and was awarded Cooperation Award in recognition of her services for promotion of bilateral relation between Pakistan and the Russian Federation.

She said that women constitute nearly 50 percent of the global population and have a significant role in sustainable development despite having less access to resources.

She referred to the data of United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation and pointed out that women produce 50 percent of agricultural output in Asia and represent nearly 80 percent of the agricultural labour force in parts of Africa.

“Sustainable development cannot be guaranteed until and unless half of the global population consisting of women are not made stakeholders in decision making processes,” Sehar Kamran observed. She underscored the need for eradicating gender discrimination and empowerment of the women folk to achieve gender parity.

“I belong to the country whose founder and great leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah firmly believed in gender equality and empowerment of women. Martyred Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the first woman elected to lead a Muslim state-twice,” the PPP leader said. She further said that Pakistani women are engaged alongside their male counterparts in different sectors. She also cited the examples of Fatima Jinnah, Samina Baig, Namira Salim, Malala Yousufzai, Dr Nergis Mawalvala and the brave flying officer Marium Mukhtiar. She said that Pakistan, over the years, produced world renowned female artists, writers, activists, entrepreneurs and scientists.

While referring to the challenges, the former senator said that women in our region are undoubtedly faced with certain difficulties that stem from a male-dominated and discriminatory narrative. She observed that inequality bias can best be reversed through effective legislation to empower women and by adopting practical measures for the implementation of such mechanisms. She informed that Pakistan has secured many key achievements, including establishment of regulatory bodies, institutions and passing of various women-friendly legislations to protect Women interests and rights, eliminate discrimination, enhance presence of women in the political arena and ensure their security, empowerment and development opportunities.

She said that active participation in the political process is being witnessed and the 2018 Pakistan’s general elections witnessed record number of women candidates. She said that vision and leadership of the women folk is essential to achieve the ultimate goal of sustainable development of the global world. She pointed out that persistent poverty, lack of equal access to health, education, training and employment; cultural barriers; political structures and institutions that discriminate on women are some of the obstacles which marginalise the role of women in development. Besides, the impact of armed conflict and natural disasters have also contributed to women’s lower participation.

She expressed the hope that times are changing for women globally while emphasising the need to increase the role of women in peace and security, improve reparative justice and cooperate at all levels to see that this justice is served and discrimination in all its forms is eradicated.

“It is time that the world realises that gender equality is central to sustainable progress,” she added. She further hoped that the process initiated with this forum will continue with same zeal and vigour in the coming years.

Eminent speakers, experts, policy makers and the galaxy of dignitaries, parliamentarians and women leaders are participating in this important forum. She expressed her felicitations to the chairperson and organisers of the forum for wonderful arrangements and opportunity to share knowledge and exchange views on issues related to women.

Published in Daily Times, September 23^rd 2018.