Women’s rights: an indigenous movement

The world celebrates the International Women’s Day 2017 today with a focus on Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030, a theme that makes a case for greater inclusion of women. Traditionally, women have been involved in jobs that are marked by income inequality. However, the professional world has been undergoing massive transformations thanks to technological advancements and globalisation with significant implications for men in general and women in particular. Our workforce needs to be reflective of this change.

Gender equality in the world of work is a sine qua non for sustainable development. The world is moving towards the idea of gender equality in many spheres. Though the challenges for women remain, there is thankfully a greater awareness about women’s rights and the need for mainstreaming their role.

Women represent a huge opportunity to transform their potential into an engine of sustainable development through a right set of policies and affirmative action.

Our history bears witness to the fact that our women have historically played a wonderful role in the socio-economic development of the country. The freedom struggle of the Muslims of the sub-continent, for a separate homeland under the inspiring leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam is a worthy example.

How can we forget the role that great women like Mohtarama Fatima Jinnah, Begum Shahnawaz, Salma Tassaduque Hussain, and Begum Liaquat Ali Khan played in the creation of Pakistan?

The above-mentioned and countless other women dedicated their lives to translating Iqbal’s dream into reality under the leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam. Theirs was a parallel story of courage, dedication and sacrifice that made it possible for us to live in a free land and enjoy all the fruits that come with the freedom.

The Quaid-e-Azam paid a befitting tribute to the women in his speech at a women’s gathering in Karachi in late 1947 in the following words: “Half of Pakistan is yours because you have put in no less effort to achieve it than the men.”

In line with the vision of the great Quaid, my Government is zealously committed to empowering the women of Punjab. I believe that their participation is crucial to the socio-economic growth of the province.

Islam discourages discrimination against women on the basis of gender. It allows them full opportunities to take part in national life. It obligates parents to educate their daughters. Those who oppose women education and bomb girls’ schools are the worst violators of Islamic teachings.

Islamic history bears testimony to the fact that women played a leading role in all walks of life. They were mohadis, legislators, doctors, business women, jurists, preachers, educationists and ambassadors. Discrimination against women weakens society. No society can move forward without undoing the discriminatory attitudes regarding women.

Government of the Punjab has introduced numerous facilitative steps and legal amendments to provide enabling environment for safe and non-discriminatory platform for women.

Safety and protection at workplace, public space and at homes would be available to the women. There would be increased number of educated, skilled and healthy women as the ongoing efforts unfold in future. There is already a significant presence of women in top positions as provincial ministers and administrative secretaries to the Government of Punjab.

Safeguarding women’s rights for social empowerment and the targeted expansion of economic opportunities for women’s economic empowerment are also areas of special concern.

A number of legal steps were taken to provide significant empowerment to women. Major initiatives were as follows: Inheritance laws were amended; Punjab Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2012 was passed and resultantly Office of Women Ombudsperson was created to address complaints; Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Act, 2014 led to creation of an independent Punjab Commission on the Status of Women; The Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 was passed providing up to 33% representation for women; and under the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act, 2016, the government is establishing Violence against Women (VAW) Centres in Punjab to protect women from physical, economic, and psychological violence.

In addition to the legal recourse, various actions led to provision of enabling environment for women to work and pursue their careers.

A dedicated Women Development Department (WDD) was created with a mandate to implement Punjab Women Empowerment Packages and to align government policies towards gender mainstreaming and equality.

Any social change is not manifested overnight, however, efforts to make women aware of their rights would continue. The agenda of women empowerment has strong political and personal commitment. I am going to make sure that this agenda does not get derailed. Women empowerment is key to national progress.

Punjab government is working to strengthen women’s decision making power within households. This plays into the work of inclusion of women within the electoral process. More women need to come out and be part of the political process.

When it comes to pushing this agenda forward, I take my inspiration from the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam who goaded women into playing an active role to take the country forward.

The agenda of women empowerment is a national agenda. On this International Women’s Day, let us resolve to work together to enable and facilitate our women to play their full part in national life. I would like to end the article with a beautiful quote:

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2017.

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