Remarks by

Minister of Information & Broadcasting

Ms. Sherry Rehman

on

International Women’s Day

March 8, 2009

Honorable Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani,

Honorable Speaker National Assembly, Ms. Fehmida Mirza,

Secretary Women’s Development, Mr. Raja Arshad,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Afternoon.

It is an honour to gather here today to commemorate  International Women’s Day – a day dedicated by the world to recognize the greatness of women as a potent and equal force of social, economic and political change for our respective societies. I take this opportunity to thank the Prime Minister for taking the lead in ensuring that our commitment to this day is marked with an appropriate initiative.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Peoples Party has always had one great in advantages terms of women: its leadership has pioneered change, and until today, remains committed to the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto encapsulated in the 1973 Constitution, and to the global championing of women’s right by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. She lights our way to progress, and has laid many goalposts for reform that we look to as our government’s agenda for change.

First of all let us be clear on three things: the PPP recognizes without equivocation, that women’s rights cannot be separated from fundamental human rights.

Secondly, that democracy and political participation are essential to women’s empowerment, particularly in the Muslim world. It is only the democratic experience that invariably empowers women, in articulating a vision,  pursuing goals and sharing collective experiences.

Thirdly, for the PPP it a conscious belief that no serious policy initiatives can filter down to the grassroots without women’s ownership of those policies and their proactive engagement.

Ladies and Gentlemen

In recognition of this reality, the PPP has always partnered its reform agenda for women with civil society and in mainstreaming women as a first priority.

This is the reason Shaheed Mohtarma’s Government was the first to actively mainstream women in the social and non-social sectors. She appointed women judges to our higher judiciary and instituted women police stations. A Womens Bank still powers women in small businesses while a sports board promotes women for competing at national and  international forums. Human Rights was accorded a full fledged ministry, and a National Commisson on the Status of Women initiated. Despite severe opposition from some quarters Pakistan became a signatory to the international Convention on Discrimination Against Women. Today, even in the health sector, Pakistan’s largest field health programme at the primary care level, Mohtarma Shaheed’s Lady Health Workers program, has become a gold standard among public health practitioners  the world over. I am grateful that it is still driven by the PM, who directs considerable resources and energy at expanding this successful, largely women-centred initiative.

While in opposition, the PPP made history again by voting across party lines on a Women’s Empowerment Bill, after five of our major Women’s Bills were summarily rejected by the government of the day. Yet instead of public pointscoring we applied our human rights literacy to the project and drove it through the committees to honour our pledge to women.

 As it stands, Ladies and Gentleman

We all know the challenges ahead are enormous.

Pakistan’s development indicators for women’s health, education and economic empowerment continue to be a source of worry. Similarly, we are faced with the global aftershocks of growing poverty, food and energy insecurity in Pakistan, the brunt of which is undoubtedly being borne by women as caregivers and bread-earners for their families.

Women’s labor force participation in Pakistan stands at 34 percent and maternal mortality is still too high by any standards. Education disparities in society and across provinces stands as one of the greatest challenges we face today in Pakistan. It is a source of much worry that we inherit a Pakistan that is ranked 126 out of 128 countries on the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Index that measures inequality between men and women in areas of economic participation and opportunity, education attainment, political empowerment, and health and survival.

Legislation that criminalises violence and harassment of women has been introduced by our government, but laws even when enacted are not enough.

We need social change for that, we need state action against criminals, which we are taking , but we also need the power of education so we can save lives from Honour Killing and acid burning, as well as other crimes against women. This is why the Education Ministry has been directed by the PM to review policy urgently as well as to expand its resource base.  

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, Pakistan is faced with the twin challenges of extremist terrorism and growing economic disparity. We will not and cannot allow the name of Islam to be used to shut down girls schools or to deny them healthcare. The government is aggressively pursuing its three-Ds policy of countering and defeating terrorism – through dialogue, deterrence and development – in the Tribal Areas and the Frontier Province. At great risk, we are working hard to establish the writ of state in these areas, and protect our people, our schools and our healthcare facilities. Protecting women against extremism is our foremost priority in our battle against extremism and militancy.

Clearly, our problems are gigantic and they require immediate responses. But government alone cannot meet those challenges without women’s partnership, as well as local and international support. Gender equality has rightly been defined internationally as a human right and at the heart of achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

It is a pre-requisite to overcoming hunger, poverty, and disease, which in turn points to a fact of critical importance: that development itself hinges on the equality of gender.

This is why women are central to the PPP’s core strategies for change. I want to assure you that in line with the PPP’s manifesto, the democratic government has a clear agenda for the protection and development of Pakistani women, which we are determined to implement.

It is for this reason that the third PPP government, under the leadership of President Zardari and Prime Minsiter Gilani, has linked Pakistan’s first real social security net for the underprivileged to the stakehold of women.

Not only is the Benazir Income Support Programme routed exclusively for women, in both cash transfers to the vulnerable, but also all its future state benefits are contingent upon the citizenship and registration of women.

In recognition of ground realities, community networks and domestic spaces where identities are negotiated on the premise of economic power at the lowest level, the PPP government has dedicated all real estate and housing transfers to women, so that their status in the community as owners is enhanced, and they are able to leverage this equity for credit.

We are expanding our internationally recognized Lady Health Workers program from its current strength of 100,000 to 200,000; and Balochistan’s quota for LHWs has been doubled..

Last month, the Federal Government also approved the Protection Against Harassment at Workplace Bill 2008 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2008, which is a major step towards protection of women workers and the provision of workplace justice in accordance with high international labor and human rights standards, and equality of opportunity. The Domestic Violence Bill has also gone to Committee in the National Assembly.

So, where do we stand today?

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The good news is that things are indeed changing. Women are using the power of vote, constituency-building and economic opportunity to strengthen their influence, and demand what they want from their societies.

In essence, women are seeking to transform Pakistan, as well as the world.

Today, through their dynamic voices and actions, women are finally proving their claim for equality. Along with the challenges, our troubling times are also witnessing exciting new forms of dynamism.

They present to women new opportunities that we can leverage for making our socio-economic and political structures and systems work not just for women but for every marginalized group and community in our country.

It is worth noting that Pakistan was the first Islamic country to have a woman prime minister, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Today, Pakistan’s parliament has a woman speaker, three woman federal ministers, and 74 Members of the National Assembly.

Pakistan ranks 45^th in the International Parliamentary Union’s List of Women in National Parliaments.

Remarkably, we stand ahead of developed democracies such as Canada, the UK and the US ranking 47^th, 60^th and 69^th respectively.

More encouraging reports tell us that in the last parliament, over five years,  women, who formed only 17 % of the House, moved 42 percent of the total private members bills in the National Assembly of Pakistan. This is indeed a great achievement.

These experiences, among others, tell us that women are born leaders and builders of bridges. With their unique sensitivities, they have the power to bring communities together and transform them into a formidable force to bring about real change.

Women of Pakistan and of the world have their work cut out. Let us reaffirm our resolve to carry it forth with unflinching commitment and valor, as we always have.

I  want to close my remarks by sharing with you my leader Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto thoughts that are of personal inspiration to me. Shaheed Mohtarma once said:

“I still want a new deal for women all over the world, and not just the Muslim world. But like so many other women in the world, I have opportunity in one hand, and its opponent forcing my other hand. It is choices that move us forward, and the judicious exercise of our choices that make the difference. Women are here to make their mark on the world, and I will always be the first to show them the way..”

I wish all women of Pakistan more power, more success, more self-actualization, and more fulfillment.