ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister Asad Umar Tuesday launched the National Gender Policy Framework for Pakistan on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
In his welcome note, the deputy chairman Planning Commission said that 2022 has been declared as the “Year of female employees” and multiple initiatives are being planned to make public sector workplaces conducive for women to work.
He said that gender accelerator is being established at the Planning Commission, manned by gender experts to help mainstream gender in all policies and programmes. Asad Umar, in his inaugural speech, reiterated the government’s commitment to bridging the gender gap and providing equal opportunities to women in all spheres of life. He said that the policy talks about instituting governance mechanisms to ensure that all committed was rolled out effectively for empowering the women of the country.
He said as Pakistan’s response to Covid-19 pandemic garnered international praise, “we fully recognise and acknowledge that our health response was delivered by a health workforce, which comprises 76pc of females”.
Dr Shabnum Sarfraz, Member Planning Commission, said that the National Gender Policy Framework stands as the culmination of nation-wide consultations, steered by the Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives.
The framework was developed in active coordination with the Ministry of Human Rights and all key institutions, while engaging federal and provincial stakeholders, development partners, sectoral and subject experts, meaningfully engaging the youth, and deliberating on the strategic priorities for bridging the gender gap in education, employment and making workplaces conducive for women across the country.
The focus was also kept on promoting engagement of women in decision making and instituting gender transformative structures. The launch was attended by a powerful panel of key note speakers. Dr Sania Nishtar, special assistant to prime minister on poverty alleviation and social safety ministry, in her keynote address, stressed the importance of gender equality in ending poverty and sustainable development. She elaborated on the gender mainstreaming within the Ehsaas Programme and the impact achieved to date. While appreciating the launch of the framework by the Planning Commission, she offered all support and access to Ehsaas data bank.
Dr Shireen M Mazari, the federal minister for human rights, shared the critical human rights initiatives that the current government had steered and stated about the multiple legislative instruments that have been introduced to achieve gender parity and end gender-based violence, discrimination, and oppression.
Lt General Nigar Johar Khan, Colonel Commandant of Army Medical Corps, and Surgeon General Pakistan Army, also spoke on breaking barriers and how women can pursue leadership journeys. She listed the five key ingredients that women leaders must have as faith, integrity, resilience, discipline and humility.
Representatives from all provincial planning and development departments shared their commitments to advancing the women and girl development agenda on behalf of their respective government.
The country representatives of UN agencies, foreign diplomats placed their pledges in support of the national gender priority agenda and for women to get equal opportunities to realize their full potential.