Empowering women key to progress: PA speaker

LAHORE:The inaugural meeting of the Punjab Assembly’s Committee on Gender Mainstreaming was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, with MPA Sarah Ahmad serving as the committee’s convener.

Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, in his opening remarks, said empowering women is critical to the progress of society as a whole. “Creating a safe and inclusive working environment for women remains a top priority for the Punjab government.”

He emphasised the committee’s mandate to review and strengthen legislation, policies, and governance frameworks aimed at advancing women’s rights and ensuring gender equality across all sectors.

The committee reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality, focusing on advancing women’s rights across all facets of life, from governance to social services. The meeting emphasised the role of political parties and the government in ensuring gender-sensitive governance in Punjab. Discussions centered around tackling gender discrimination in political, social, and economic spheres.

Several committee members, including MPAs Syed Ali Haider Gilani, Khurram Khan Virk, Ahmed Khan Leghari, Ahmed Iqbal Chaudhry, Sardar Awais Dareshak, Asma Ehtesham-ul-Haq and Salma Saeed attended the meeting. Representatives from international organisations such as UNFPA, SSDO, and Search for Justice also participated.

MPA Sarah Ahmad praised Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan for his visionary leadership in establishing this important body. She highlighted that under the guidance of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, significant initiatives have been launched to protect and empower women in Punjab. She further explained that the committee would serve as an oversight body to ensure the implementation of laws related to women’s empowerment and gender mainstreaming.

In her remarks, Sarah Ahmad also discussed the global context of gender mainstreaming, noting that the 1945 United Nations Charter, the 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 underscore the importance of gender equality.

“Islam, like many other religions, stresses the equal treatment of men and women,” she stated. “The Quran clearly says that those who do good, whether male or female, will be rewarded equally. This reflects the universal value of gender equality, which we must strive to uphold in every aspect of our lives.”

Sarah also shared insights from her experience heading the Child Protection Bureau, where a disturbing trend of abandoned infant girls reveals the extent of gender-based discrimination. She highlighted the importance of monitoring the implementation of both national and international gender-related treaties in Punjab, ensuring the inclusion of women’s rights in policy-making, and addressing gender disparities across all sectors.

The committee members Sardar Awais Dareshak and Ahmed Iqbal also stressed the need to engage civil society in awareness-raising initiatives on gender mainstreaming, believing that public involvement is crucial to driving meaningful change. Special guests Iftikhar Mubarak and Syed Kausar Abbas gave their input on how important implementation of laws is and this committee must ensure that.

The committee’s work will continue to assess the allocation of provincial resources to support gender-responsive initiatives, as well as the integration of gender equality into legislative frameworks and governance practices.