Manend Team 
ISLAMABAD, (MANEND NEWS): The Ministry of Human Rights, in
collaboration with UN Women and the EU in Pakistan, celebrated
International Women’s Day at the Presidency.
The event served as an occasion to celebrate the progress made
towards the protection and promotion of women’s rights in Pakistan,
and evaluate future steps required to foster and ensure greater female
empowerment and gender equality in the country. President Arif Alvi
attended the event as Chief Guest.
The event acknowledged the achievements of female trailblazers from
diverse backgrounds, who were invited to speak about their
experiences, accomplishments and the obstacles that they have faced
as women in various career fields in Pakistan.
This included Fehmida Mirza, currently serving as Federal Minister of
Inter-Provincial Coordination. Fehmida Mirza has the distinction of
being the first and only woman Speaker of the National Assembly of
Pakistan between March 2008 and June 2013. The other female
trailblazers who participated at the event included Zubedia Jalal,
Minister for Defence Production; Rukhshanda Naz, Ombudsperson for
KP Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace; Reem
Sharif, the first Transgender police officer in Pakistan; Zara Naeem,
the ACCA exam topper; and Erum Baloch, a young athlete from
Jacobabad in Sindh.
The event also included a musical folk performance with Shamu Bai
and Vishnu, a brother-sister duo from rural Sindh. The Ministry of
Human Rights also showcased several films that delved into pro-
women legislation, women’s rights, and the Ministry’s 1099 National
Human Rights Helpline. Sar Buland, a music video tribute to daughters
and inspirational women in Pakistan, developed by Samar Minhallah
was also showcased at the event
Federal Secretary for Human Rights, Inamullah Khan gave the
welcoming remarks at the event. He spoke about the theme for
International Women’s Day this year, “Women in leadership: Achieving
an equal future in a COVID-19 world.” He spoke about the central role
that women have played in combating the pandemic, featuring
prominently at the front lines as health care workers, caregivers,
innovators, and community organizers. He spoke about the
significance of acknowledging their contributions and creating more
opportunities and space for them in critical policy making and decision
making circles, to account for the learnings of Covid-19 and ensure
greater resilience to future public emergencies related to disease or
climate change.
Speaking at the event, Sharmeela Rasool, Country Representative, UN
Women said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that inclusivity
and diversity of leadership styles make a difference. When more
women are in decision-making positions, different voices are heard,
and innovative solutions are created. Both the process and the
outcomes are for a more just, equitable and prosperous society”.
Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan
also gave an address at the event. Ms Kaminara acknowledged the
significance of the collaboration between Pakistan and the EU in
developing key areas of cooperation geared towards gender
mainstreaming, women empowerment and elimination of all forms of
violence against women, under the Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP).
She also mentioned that the EU’s Huqooq-e-Pakistan project with the
Ministry of Human Rights has supported the development of
awareness raising films on pro women legislation, including inheritance
& GBV, and expressed hope that this event will promote these videos
and serve to spread these important messages to a wider audience in
Pakistan.
Dr. Shireen Mazari, Federal Minister for Human Rights spoke about the
work of the Ministry of Human Rights in supporting the cause of female
empowerment and gender equality in Pakistan. “MoHR has focused on
strengthening legislation, improving institutional mechanisms for
implementation, and increasing awareness amongst the general
population about relevant laws, to promote and protect the rights of
women and girls in Pakistan.
The Anti-Rape Ordinance and the Enforcement of Women’s Property
Rights Act in 2020 are two such critical recent advancements in this
regard. MoHR has also been working towards upgrading its National
Human Rights Helpline to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms,
which are critical for victims of GBV and domestic violence.”
