Begum Zakia Shahnawaz distributes awards among women

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Begum Zakia Shahnawaz has said that Pakistani women are very talented and they are playing an active role in every walk of life. She said that there is a need to women to come forward for the progress and prosperity of the country.

She was speaking at the distribution of UN Women’s first global He For She Hero’ Global Award, at a local hotel here today. The award is meant to acknowledge and reward those young role models who are taking a stand against gender-based discrimination and violence against women and girls in Punjab and across Pakistan. Begum Zakia Shahnawaz said that Punjab government is doing everything possible for the empowerment and advancement of women and many laws have been introduced for the protection of women and girls. She said that a new law is being formulated to protect and prevent violence against women. She said that women and girls are an important segment of society and there is a need for collective efforts to educate and encourage women and girls to attain their full potential.

Ms. Fauzia Viqar, Chairperson, Provincial Commission of the Status of Women, Punjab, highlighted that the establishment of the ‘Punjab Commission on the Status of Women’ in 2014 provides a medium to empower local women, expand opportunities for their socio-economic development and eliminate all forms of discrimination against them. She said that the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women Bill is the first ‘watchdog body’ for women’s rights in the province. She said that within a few months of the Provincial Commission of the Status of Women coming into force, the Commission has begun the process of reviewing and recommending changes in the existing laws affecting the women of Punjab.

Salman Sufi, Senior Member of the Law and Order Wing of the Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit, Punjab, informed about some of the steps being undertaken in the province to ensure justice and include translating women-friendly laws into reality and institutionalizing structures to respond to violence against women.

Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative of UN Women Pakistan, Ms. Urooj Ashraf from Zimal (a girl’s society with the tagline “Breaking Stereotypes for Her”) and Nabeel Khan from Khardaar (a boy’s society with the slogan “As Brothers We Stand”) also spoke on the occasion.