Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed his commitment to gender equality on Saturday, emphasizing that women’s empowerment can only be achieved through equal access to education, skills, and employment opportunities. His remarks were made during an event in Islamabad marking International Women’s Day, which is celebrated globally on March 8 to honor women’s achievements and advocate for their rights.
The announcement came just a week after the Prime Minister introduced the ‘Ramazan Relief Package,’ which aims to provide financial assistance to four million households via a digital wallet.
The event, held at the Prime Minister’s House, saw the attendance of prominent women from various fields, including cabinet members, legislators, entrepreneurs, and activists. It was organized by the Ministry of Human Rights and the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
During the event, PM Shehbaz launched Islamabad’s first-ever Gender Parity Report, prepared by the NCSW and UNFPA. The report highlights challenges and solutions across areas such as education, health, governance, political representation, and justice.
The Prime Minister pledged to work closely with provinces to increase women’s participation in economic programs and also announced the creation of a Working Women’s Endowment Fund to help women overcome workplace challenges.
“Our 50% female population can become a productive workforce if given a fair opportunity,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of leveling the playing field for women.
To further support working women, PM Shehbaz highlighted the establishment of daycare centers in both public and private departments in Islamabad, with plans to expand these services in the future. He expressed concern over the significant number of qualified women who leave their careers to balance work and family, calling it a loss of valuable human resources.
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to iconic Pakistani women who have contributed to female empowerment, including Fatima Jinnah, Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan, former PM Benazir Bhutto, Bilquis Edhi, Dr. Ruth Pfau, Asma Jahangir, and other pioneers.
Gender Equality and Governance
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar noted that ministries and departments were tasked last year with adopting women-inclusive policies, leading to increased representation of women in departmental boards. He acknowledged Pakistan’s low ranking of 145th out of 146 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index, only ahead of Afghanistan, and called for a review of this ranking to better reflect the country’s progress.
UN Resident Coordinator Mohamed Yahya reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, particularly those related to gender equality. He stressed that gender equality should be seen not only as a women’s issue but as a human rights issue.
Dr. Nafisa Shah, Chairperson of the Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, pointed out that women’s representation in government bodies still falls short of the target 33% benchmark, stressing the need for greater inclusion in governance and policymaking.
Empowering Women in the Business Sector
PM Shehbaz also introduced a significant initiative aimed at integrating women in cottage industries and small businesses into the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector. This initiative was unveiled during a meeting held in Lahore on Saturday, focused on ongoing reforms under the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority.
In his address, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of women’s economic empowerment and instructed authorities to prioritize providing essential capital and resources to women entrepreneurs in the cottage industry.
He also introduced measures to provide low-cost loans to women under the Youth Loan Scheme, aimed at helping them grow their businesses.
The Prime Minister directed the creation of facilitation centers and training institutes to support women in small-scale businesses, ensuring they have easy access to these vital resources.
To further strengthen this initiative, he announced the formation of a special committee responsible for developing a comprehensive plan to empower women through business opportunities.
The committee is expected to present its recommendations to the Prime Minister in the near future.
