Islamabad (Web Desk): The Senate on Friday passed a resolution regarding International Women’s Day presented by Senator Sania Nishtar, Senator Sana Jamali and Senator Seemee Ezdi.
The resolution emphasised the importance of ‘Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment’, as highlighted by the theme for International Women’s Day, consistent with the priority theme of the United Nation’s 68th Commission on the Status of Women aimed at advancing economic inclusion for women and girls globally.
It recognised the persistent disparities and challenges faced by women and girls worldwide, including but not limited to economic, social, and political barriers that hinder their full participation and contribution to society.
It further said that the Senate of Pakistan recommends that the Government should take measures to ensure and enhance women’s economic inclusion, including but not limited to Enhancing recruitment, retention and development opportunities for female talent through effective education and skills programs.
Facilitating support mechanisms for women and girls to access leadership, decision-making roles, entrepreneurship and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields through strategic planning and educational reforms were also urged.
It stressed investing in infrastructure that caters to the specific needs of women and girls across various economic sectors. It also called for introducing gender-sensitive policies and fostering inclusive work environments that prioritize the well-being and advancement of women.
Reforming national health policies to empower women to make informed decisions about their health and reproductive rights was also emphasised.
It laid stress on formulating and implementing policies aimed at integrating women and girls into sustainable agricultural practices and ensuring food security through comprehensive training programs.
It called to eliminate all forms of violence against women through an effective and robust legal justice system.
It underlined the need to encourage businesswomen to participate actively in e- commerce through entrepreneurship.
The House also called upon all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, the media, academia and individuals, to join hands in the collective pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment, recognizing that only through concerted and sustained efforts can we build a more inclusive, equitable and just society for all.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmad requested to pay tribute to the innocent women of Palestine for their bravery and hardships.
Senator Syed Ali Zafar said that the house must also pay tribute to the prisoner women of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.