Call to empower girls

Lahore :The International Day of the Girl is observed on October  11 to realise the need to be sensitised about girls’ needs, challenges and their empowerment. 

Abolition of discriminatory approach about them is key to their progress socially and economically, said Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) Chairperson Fauzia Viqar on the International Day of the Girl. She said it was a collective duty of society to bring girls to mainstream for progress and prosperity of Pakistan by giving them opportunities to excel. 

She said that every girl must be well-aware of her rights and the relevant laws to spend secure life and resist against any sort of injustice against her in society. All stakeholders must address the issues and challenges faced by girls, the PCSW chairperson stressed.  

Empowerment: Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs Khalild Tahir Sindhu has said that empowerment of girls is a key strategic priority of the Punjab government and it is focusing on girls’ education.

Addressing the ceremony organised by Pakistan Girl Guides Association and two NGOs,  the minister assured that the government was serious to include women protection laws and other protection mechanisms into school, college and university curricula with a view to sensitising girls with the rights. 

During the event held to mark the International Day of the Girl Child under the theme of "Girl’s Progress, Goal’s Progress,” a representative group of girls said empowerment of girls could be a move in right direction to end violence against them. 

A child rights activist, Rashida Qureshi, said that on December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to recognise girls’ rights and the challenges girls faced around the world.  If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads and political leaders, she said.

A panel discussion bringing together the selected empowered girls as motivation for other young girls was also arranged. The girls shared their success stories. Khadija Siddique, a survivor of brutal violence committed a few months back, said that she stood against the cruelty and  got ultimately got justice. Amel Ghani, a young journalist, urged that girls should utilise their potential to be economically empowered. Tayyaba Tariq, a heavy biker, shared her story that being a girl biker she traveled to a very far-flung area of  the country, and never felt it was difficult for her to do that. However, she acknowledged the support of her family which enabled her to fulfil her dream. 

Nazeefa Fatims, an NGO representative , said that UN Human Rights Committee in its concluding observation issued in 2017 urged Pakistan to ensure that the minimum age for marriage was set at 18 years for both girls and boys.