Proposal: More women needed in the judiciary, says Zardari
He was addressing a ceremony arranged to mark the end of “One Million Signatures” campaign launched last year to stop violence against women. Maintaining that discrimination against women is deeply rooted in the social, political, economic and legal spheres of society, Zardari said that the issues were not only limited to Pakistan but were also seen in other regional countries.
Claiming that the government’s highest priority is to address discriminatory laws against women, the president listed down the legislative measures taken to protect women, which included Adoption of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010‚ Criminal Law (Amendment) Act‚ Acid Control and Acid Crime Act and Prevention of Anti Women Practices Act.
The president added that the National Commission for Human Rights Act 2012 has been enacted to monitor the overall human rights situation, while the Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act 2011 has been promulgated to provide financial and legal assistance to deserving women. Moreover‚ 26 Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Centers for women have been established in various districts to provide immediate relief to female victims of violence, he added.
Zardari further said that around one million women are receiving direct assistance under Benazir Income Support Program, while the National Commission on the Status of Women has been strengthened to monitor the violation of women’s rights. A proposal is under consideration to give more representation to women in the judiciary, he added.
Speaking on the occasion‚ Country Director of UN Women Pakistan, Alice H Shackelford lauded the legislative measures taken by the Pakistani government for the protection of rights of women. She emphasised the need for collective efforts to bring a positive change in society.
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A very good step taken by the President. My wish to see women in high courts and more importantly in Supreme Court.
This is all what our dear president is good at - signing and putting words out. Would Mr. President have any comments to what his government has done for poor women of Pakistan? with schools being closed/burnt, with women not allowed to walk out freely....with women being (Kohistan) victimized in the name of religion or in the name of culture.......doing nothing and saying everything....what a joker and regards to the nations who selects ones like him to power.
Pakistan Zindabad
Good Step. Although a question comes to mind, If a judge is supposed to be impartial regardless of race, sex, religion then why the need for Women judges in the first place? The criterion for the selection of the judiciary should be impartiality not gender.
What is important is the motive behind such assertions. Having a few showpieces as ministers or speaker of national assembly cannot hide the fact that the women in this society are an extremely oppressed lot. It is not the women in the upper class elite who need to be emancipated- it is the poor women working in the fields, factories and offices and as domestic help who need empowerment. We must also look into the motives for this declaration at this juncture. Note that he want "more women in the Judiciary." Why, because he is having the maximum trouble with the judiciary right now. Why was a woman chosen to be the NA Speaker? Why did he appoint a woman as Foreign Minister, when much more talented and well-groomed people in the field of foreign affairs were available? The reason is not difficult to fathom. He needs more pliant personalities for these important posts. In practice, even men don't have rights, unless they belong to the upper crust, what to talk of woman empowerment. What we need is a more liberal and tolerant society. empowerment of women would come automatically. And the government needs to pay attention to the economy, and education and health and public transport--all neglected fields in Pakistan. The key to a just society is a reasonable level of economic social justice. On the contrary, economic inequality is rising. When will they stop indulging in rhetoric and start working in earnest?
Why ? Perhaps he is hoping for more sympathy from them !!!
@Faiza: Faiza this is reality.
@naeem khan Mahnattan,Ks:
BB, Fehmida Mirza, Nafisa Shah, Faryal Talpur, Hina Rabbani Khar, Shazia Marri and many more are daughters of waderas but occupy important posts due to PPP. How many women minsters are there in Punjab government or were there in Musharraf government. These are facts you cannot change.
The PPP government has appointed women at many high profile posts in Sindh and Central government. Hats off to you Mr President!
to change women's lot you need a strong government and you have provide ful, suport
That is all a ruse. The problem is that under PPP's rule, Pakistani men and women suffered immensely. The overall economic situation is much bleaker compared to when he took power. And anyone with a sane mind would realize that in Pakistani society, whenever economic situation gets worse, females suffer much more than males. Remember: This is a culture where (especially in rural areas) women eat AFTER their husband has finished his meal, which means she usually has nothing or very little leftover to eat. Checkout studies conducted on female nourishment/nutrition in rural areas. These would be MUCH more important and meaningful indicators. The nation as a whole suffered economically under his "able" leadership, and he has the guile to state that he made Pakistan a better place. PPP should have worked to remove Huddood Ordinance from the books, if they really wanted to make Pakistan a better place. Did they make police better? Did they do anything to make sure that criminal investigation and law enforcement regime get better? How sad and ironic it is, that a person who himself does not follow/obey the law is touting the passage of equally unenforceable laws in Pakistan as a great political victory?!
Excellent intentions. There are many capable women who might make great supreme court jurists. One Asma Jahanghir comes to mind. Also, whereas laws and ordinances are necessary, so too is the evolution of thought in society. For this we need a more temperate education that advocates diversity and tolerance and away from the ideas of the reactionary mullah or the backward waderahs. Finally, for a state whose writ is shrinking by the day, enforcing the most basic and fundamental laws becomes difficult let alone the idealistic ones. The state needs to re-establish itself before it can start enforcing its ideals, protecting peoples rights and leading the nation forward.
Good idea-----I want to see couple of women jurists be appointed as Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan as well as a visible and meaningful number of them in the High Courts of all the provinces. The President must make it possible immediately through an Ordinance.
We definitely need women, minorities, and ethnicities duly represented in the Supreme Court and other higher courts. A major problem with the current Supreme Court is that it dominated by Muslim males of reactionary disposition. Parliament needs to rectify this imbalance to make the higher judiciary truly representative of the people of Pakistan.
BB gave women's bank during her tenure and Zardari is giving empowerment to women in his tenure.
My priority is to educate the women of villages and far flung areas. If a housewife is properly educated in the family, she can play a very important role in upbringing her family in a positive direction.
Proper education for men is equally important. Men needs to be educated not only in the villages but also in the cities so that should should be able to give a road map to the children.
Guess who is preaching, all I am asking is to look into his domestic life. Asking a Wadera to protect women's rights is the height of hypocrisy, why don't they repeal that draconian Hadood and Blasphemy Laws, a gift from general Zia and his twisted mind. They could pass a law defending themselves in a Jiffy, ie: Contempt of Court, but what is stopping them from repealing those above mentioned laws and they call themselves moderate and liberals.
It is about time that PPP govt should come out openly in support and promotion of women in this country. It would take a long time to bring them at par with men in a male dominated society but it has to start first. Thanks for starting the process. No wonder the rightwing and their touts are so angry with this govt.
Good job. Would our honourable President mind to initiate the spread of education with same spirit? Injustice against women will be eradicated automatically.
Awesome! Grateful to President Zardari! Regards, Rehan
YES!!!!!! The best thing about this government is to introduce women protection laws in Pakistan which none of the other governement or parties were able to do so!!!