PM announces 10 pc quota for women in CSS, establishment Women’s Ombudsman

ISLAMABAD, Mar 8 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday announced establishment of the Office of Women’s Ombudsman, 10% quota for females in CSS and conversion of Youth Development Centres into Working Women Hostels.Addressing a function on the occasion of International Women’s Day here at the Convention Centre, Prime Minister Gilani said the government had initiated a number of measures for the empowerment of women.He said the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) would be given total administrative and financial autonomy and the government had decided to strengthen the First Women Bank to promote economic empowerment of women.

The Prime Minister said the present democratic government had an unflinching commitment to the cause of gender equality and was fully cognizant of the existing critical issues and problems being faced by the women in domestic and national life.

He said ,” the Pakistan People’s Party manifesto gives high priority to empowerment of women to ensure equal rights through economic, social, legal and political measures.”

“Now the laws have been enacted for the protection of women.  I have directed all concerned to implement these in letter and spirit,” he added.

Gilani said the government was taking forward the legacy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and striving to implement her vision and plans, left unfulfilled due to her untimely martyrdom.

“Let me assure you that my government is determined to follow and implement, in letter and spirit, her vision of a greater and stronger Pakistan, with a literate and empowered nation, despite the challenges of extremism we are facing today.”

He pointed some of the measures taken by the government for empowerment and said increased representation at National and Provincial Assemblies has helped political empowerment of women. He pointed that Dr. Fehmida Mirza was the only woman Speaker of a House of Parliament in the Muslim World and many of the National Assembly Standing Committees were being chaired by women parliamentarians and an active Women Caucus with representation of all parties has been formed at the national level.

In the context of economic empowerment of women, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s vision has been achieved through distribution of land to landless haris, 70% of these beneficiaries are women.

Gilani said so far the Government of Sindh has distributed 43,000 acres of state land among 4196 beneficiaries.

To provide immediate support to the destitute women, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has been undertaken with an initial allocation of Rs.34 billion (US $ 425 million approximately) and a job quota of 10% for women has been assured in public sector employment.

He said Pakistan, being a signatory to various UN Conventions, especially Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Convention on Rights of Children (CRC) and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and was committed to elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

The Prime Minister said discriminatory laws are being amended. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2009 has been enacted, whereas Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Bill, 2010 has been passed by the National Assembly and Senate.

These legislations would serve as deterrent to the issue of harassment at workplace and provide opportunity to young women to join private and public sector without any fear.

He said a draft Domestic Violence Bill, 2009 was also in the process of enactment. Meanwhile, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Centres for Women were being increased to provide immediate relief to the victims of violence.

He said legislation to enable women to own property and assets was being formulated.

Gilani said measures like establishment of working women hostels, provision of transport facilities to female employees, establishment of Day Care Centres, were a part of the Government’s initiative to address the problems of working women.

For empowering women further, the government has assured better health and education facilities.

The Prime minister said efforts were under way to mainstream women’s interests in the policies and projects of the government.  National Policy for Development and Empowerment of Women, 2002 and National Plan of Action (NPA) are being reviewed as per present situation and requirements through Gender Reform Action Plan (GRAP).

“I am pleased to announce that the policy and National Plan of Action (NPA) will be presented to the Cabinet soon,” Gilani said.

Parliamentarians, female artists and women belonging to various walks of life attended the event.

A documentary narrating the struggle of Pakistani women from 1947-2010 was screened.

Female singers presented songs and renowned writers Kishwar Naheed and Fahmeeda Riaz read poems.