ISLAMABAD: Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen M Mazari Wednesday said the protection and promotion of the rights of women was one of the key pillars of Pakistan’s development paradigm. Addressing the 66th Session of the UN Commission on Status of Women held in New York through video-link, she said the government had taken concrete steps towards strengthening legislation in order to address the issues such as violence against women, domestic abuse, harassment, social protection, economic participation, and inheritance. Dr Mazari said the recently passed Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (Amendment) Act, 2022 had broadened the definition of harassment and specifically included domestic workers who were usually at a greater risk of workplace violence and harassment. She said the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights was another milestone for improving the industrial working conditions, placing special focus on women’s labor participation and safe working conditions. Dr Mazari said equipping women with vocational skills had been the government’s priority and the Women Welfare and Development Centre in Islamabad alone had trained 20,000 women in vocational and technical skills. The minister said, “Our Government’s Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2020 secures the rights of ownership and possession of both movable and immovable property owned by women, ensuring that such rights are not violated by means of harassment, coercion, force, or fraud.” The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, she added. She showed her concerns that in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) women were being targeted by the Indian occupation forces who used rape as a weapon of war and attacked women and children with pellet guns. “We cannot be selective in where the standards of human rights apply. And here I would be at a loss if I do not mention the fact that the rising tide of Islamophobia in the West discriminates and denies them opportunities to Muslim women especially because they are denied education and health if they merely cover their heads”, she added. This discrimination, she said, also must be dealt with by the world community. She said Pakistan firmly believed that economic growth, sustainable development, peace, and prosperity could only be built upon the foundation of female empowerment and gender equality. “We remain committed to creating an enabling and safe environment for our girls and women to ensure their equal participation in decision making and public life.” The CSW, she said was instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. “Islam ensures women’s rights in every sphere of their life,” Dr. Mazari said, quoting: “And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women” (Surah al-Baqarah). The minister said, “We hope that this would prove to be a space for meaningful dialogue and assure you of Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to support and cooperate with the Commission towards achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.” She said the Constitution of Pakistan guaranteed fundamental rights to both men and women against all forms of discrimination, exploitation, and marginalization, and ensured their equal rights and opportunities to grow and lead a healthy and prosperous life. Pakistan, she said, “has also adopted a number of key international commitments to gender equality and human rights which include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Sustainable Development Goals. “We believe that the Sustainable Development Agenda with its 17 goals, particularly goal 5 has the potential to transform the lives of women by ensuring gender equality and empowerment of women in all spheres of life.”