Geneva moot to help Pakistan become climate resilient

President says Pakistan bearing brunt of climate crisis despite low carbon footprint

ISLAMABAD:

President Dr Arif Alvi expressed hope that the Geneva Conference would be a step forward in helping Pakistan become a climate-resilient country. The moot will be held on January 9.

During an overview of Aiwan-e-Sadr for the year 2022, he said Pakistan had less than one percent contribution in global warming, but was adversely affected by climate-induced disaster caused by floods and suffered losses of billions of dollars.

He lauded the contribution of friendly countries, armed forces, non-governmental organisations and civil administration in the relief and rehabilitation activities for flood-affected people. Immense loss was caused in Balochistan and Sindh as miles upon miles of land submerged in water, he added.

The president said 10 percent of the population in Pakistan had disabilities, adding physically-challenged persons should get education in mainstream schools and children should be taught to treat them with empathy. These special children should be given proper education and employment so that they could contribute to the society and live without dependence on others.

Dr Alvi underlined the need for creating awareness about the rights of physically-challenged persons.

Talking about women empowerment, Dr Alvi said women should be given opportunities to set up their own businesses and they should be protected from harassment when they go out of their homes. He added that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Quaid e Azam and Allama Iqbal advocated for rights of women.

He said for the first time, Islam gave property rights to women, adding women should have the right to education and they should be financially empowered. He expressed concern over the restrictions placed on women education in Afghanistan.

He said women in Pakistan could now open bank accounts online and the cash from Benazir Income Support Programme was going directly into their bank accounts. Digitization and information technology were helping in financial empowerment of women, he shared.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2023.