PTI Punjab Secretary General Yasmin Rashid in her message on International Women???s Day said all around the world, International Women's Day represents an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality.
She said anti-violence laws and a spate of Government programmes on gender inequality do exist, but laws without effective, equitable enforcement and Government programmes without budgets do not produce results.
She said to make rights real for every woman, we as a nation need to work to change social norms, economic priorities and our own hearts and mindset. She said against this backdrop of conventional social biases, policy neglect and lack of necessary exposure, capacity and advocacy skills and women representation and empowerment needed a boost, but Government???s inaction in this regard is questionable.
She said Pakistan has a long way to go, so we as a nation must urgently tap into the capabilities and intelligence of women in getting there, equality between men and women is a fundamental right.
Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas said in her message on 8 March said that every year we celebrate the achievements of women and progress towards gender equality. She said we need to redouble our efforts because the challenges Pakistan is facing like poverty, illiteracy, conflict, terrorism cannot be overcome without women???s full and equal participation in the society.
Andleeb Abbas said we need to look into ending violence against women, safeguarding their rights, and ensuring equal opportunity in every sector.
She said millions of women and girls still lack access to education, healthcare, justice, and economic opportunities in the country.
She said Pakistan is ranked worst in Global Gender Gap Report. She said women have suffered due to atrocities, like rape, acid throwing, honor killings, forced marriages, forced prostitution, etc., which were committed on them.
She said Pakistan???s population compromises 52% of women while they have been given only 21 percent representation in National Assembly that too on reserve seats, and we as a nation cannot be prosperous until and unless we take women on board. She said women in every field have have proven their abilities but still they are given jobs on quota, she said as per UNDP female Labour force participation rate is only 22 percent which is ver low. She said PTI is a vanguard of women rights in Pakistan. She said equality for women is progress for all.