Day: July 30, 2011

By: Maha Mussadaq

ISLAMABAD: Domestic violence is outlawed in 125 countries but globally, 603 million women live in countries where the offense is not considered a crime, reveals the flagship report from the United Nation’s (UN) new organisation for women launched here on Friday.

The report recognises progress, but calls on governments to take urgent action to end the injustices that keep women poorer and less powerful then men in every country in the world.

The report has raised serious questions concerning the lacunas in the prevalent legal systems which allow for perpetuation of gender-based crimes, said the chief guest at the launch, Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza.

In the last three years of its 5-year tenure, the National Assembly of Pakistan has passed 77 bills, with more than a dozen related to women and children, said Mirza.

The passage of the 18th Amendment has provided an exceptional opportunity for provincial legislatures to expand their scope and make a decisive move to address the core issue of social justice at the grass-roots level, she added.

“No matter how many laws we change, if we fail to change the minds behind the delivery mechanisms of these laws, we will continue to face hurdles” said Mirza.

She announced that Pakistan will hold the 7th meeting of women speakers of parliaments around the world in November this year, where the focus will be on making parliaments more gender sensitive.

“No system can claim to be democratic and participatory if it fails to include and address the issues concerning its women,” she added.

Report’s findings

The 164-page report titled “Progress of the world’s women: In pursuit of justice,” highlights gender sensitive issues such as women who continue to experience injustice, violence and inequality in their home and working lives.

According to the report, by 2011, marital rape is a criminal offence in at least 52 countries but more than 2.6 billion women live in countries where it has not been explicitly criminalised.

A total of 117 countries have equal pay laws, yet in practice women are still paid up to 30 per cent less than men in some countries. Globally, 600 million women are in vulnerable jobs, the report says.

Donors spend US$4.2billion annually on aid for justice reform but only 5 per cent of this spending targets women and girls, the report adds.

Source: The Express Tribune

Date:7/30/2011By: Maha Mussadaq

ISLAMABAD: Domestic violence is outlawed in 125 countries but globally, 603 million women live in countries where the offense is not considered a crime, reveals the flagship report from the United Nation’s (UN) new organisation for women launched here on Friday.

The report recognises progress, but calls on governments to take urgent action to end the injustices that keep women poorer and less powerful then men in every country in the world.

The report has raised serious questions concerning the lacunas in the prevalent legal systems which allow for perpetuation of gender-based crimes, said the chief guest at the launch, Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza.

In the last three years of its 5-year tenure, the National Assembly of Pakistan has passed 77 bills, with more than a dozen related to women and children, said Mirza.

The passage of the 18th Amendment has provided an exceptional opportunity for provincial legislatures to expand their scope and make a decisive move to address the core issue of social justice at the grass-roots level, she added.

“No matter how many laws we change, if we fail to change the minds behind the delivery mechanisms of these laws, we will continue to face hurdles” said Mirza.

She announced that Pakistan will hold the 7th meeting of women speakers of parliaments around the world in November this year, where the focus will be on making parliaments more gender sensitive.

“No system can claim to be democratic and participatory if it fails to include and address the issues concerning its women,” she added.

Report’s findings

The 164-page report titled “Progress of the world’s women: In pursuit of justice,” highlights gender sensitive issues such as women who continue to experience injustice, violence and inequality in their home and working lives.

According to the report, by 2011, marital rape is a criminal offence in at least 52 countries but more than 2.6 billion women live in countries where it has not been explicitly criminalised.

A total of 117 countries have equal pay laws, yet in practice women are still paid up to 30 per cent less than men in some countries. Globally, 600 million women are in vulnerable jobs, the report says.

Donors spend US$4.2billion annually on aid for justice reform but only 5 per cent of this spending targets women and girls, the report adds.

Source: The Express Tribune

Date:7/30/2011

By: Seema Shafi

KARACHI: Today’s women, who are facing all kinds of discrimination in the society, despite all odds are coming ahead after tackling all challenges and, to achieve more progress, they still need to increase their efforts.

This was stated by Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza on Friday at a local hotel at the launching ceremony of the women’s economic Empowerment through Capacity Building and Skill Development Training Programme.

Addressing the graceful ceremony, which was organised by the First Women Bank, she urged the women to take interest in women development works and training programmes to come out of old life style. They must know that they are very important part of society, so they would be able to get their due rights, she added.

She called for legislation for providing social and economic empowerment of women. She said that discrimination against women should be ended at all forums, so that more opportunities could be provided to them. “The day is not far when the women would have more economic, social and political powers,” she added.

The purpose of these types of training programmes and workshops is that women are dedicated for struggling and contributing for the development and progress of the country. Shela vowed to continue the struggle for the rights of the women.

She said that women constitute 55 percent of the country’s population, and underlined the need for bringing them into the mainstream, so that they could perform well with male members of the society. She said that the government is striving to address all the issues, particularly relating to the women. She was of the view that the present mindset and perception against women should be changed.

“Legal empowerment and social empowerment is need of the hour to end discriminatory laws against women,” she said. All stakeholders including law enforcement agencies and media should play their role to eliminate social evils against women in the society, she said.

The holy Quran and Sunnah teach protection of women rights and these must be promoted in the society, she said. The protection of women’s rights should be a part of all political parties’ manifestos. Highlighting the performance of the FWB, the President of the Bank, Shafqat Sultana, said that the bank is getting its purpose by networking of training programmes in the country and she is really proud of it. She also said that poverty is targeting the society in more than one way. It is killing the overall system of the society. There is no remedy for development more effectively than the empowerment of women.

Today, the women have a role to play in all aspects of society, including resolving the economic crisis, promoting civil society, human rights, education, healthcare, the rule of law, and good governance. “It is imperative that women like ours stand up for the rights of women.”

She also said that women are taking advantage of the loans provided by the FWB because after 21 years of the bank “we observe that a transition has taken place in the professional lives of the women of our country and there has been a shift from the traditional specialised professionals”. Shoaib Siddiqui, Secretary, Youth and Sports Affairs, said that the First Women Bank is playing a vital role in women development works in the country. He said that women are making progress by increasing their efforts. Later, Shafqat Sultana FWBL, Shoaib Siddiqui Secretary youth and sports Affairs of Sindh signed the MoU.

Source: Business Recorder

Date:7/30/2011

ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly, Dr Fehmida Mirza, on Friday said that this National Assembly has been able to earn a special place in history of the country for becoming a pro-active forum in protecting the rights of women.

“In the last three years of its five-year tenure, the National Assembly has passed 77 bills. More than a dozen relate to women and children,” she said while addressing a report launching ceremony of United Nations Women, “Progress of the World’s Women 2011-2012 — In Pursuit of Justice”.

She said that the election of the first woman Speaker of the National Assembly in the entire Muslim World as well as in the Region, with an over two-third majority marked the opening of return of democracy in 2008.

And above all, it is also for the first time in national history that the federal and provincial legislatures have seen a record number of women legislators, both on the reserved as well as on general seats. Their performance has amply demonstrated that they are second to none.

Dr Fehmida said that the passage of the 18th Amendment has provided an exceptional opportunity for provincial legislatures to expand their scope and make a decisive move to address the core issue of social justice at the grass-roots level.

This also holds true for important legislation like the domestic violence bill, which is now more under the purview of the provinces.

Commenting on the report the Speaker said that it is indeed a timely and much-needed publication. It provides a useful database for the policy makers and opinion leaders, enabling them to redefine their strategies concerning women.

She said this report has raised serious questions concerning the lacunas in the prevalent legal systems, which allow the perpetuation of gender-based crimes. At the same time, the Report has also offered workable solutions, which merit the combined attention of all stakeholders.

She congratulate the entire UN Women team — especially its Pakistan Office — and earnestly hope that such efforts will continue to be a useful source of guidance and understanding for all concerned in future as well.

She said no system can claim to be democratic and participatory if it fails to include and address the issues concerning its women.

Quoting the Progress of Women Report, launched here on Friday she said the constitutions of 139 countries of the world grant equal status to their women in all realms of life. 125 countries have outlawed domestic violence and in at least 52 countries, marital rape is a criminal offence.

She said this also holds true for Pakistan where each time, the return of democracy brought concrete measures to women’s empowerment. The first people’s participatory democracy of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto saw the first-ever induction of women at the highest decision-making bodies.

She said first woman governor, first woman Deputy Speaker, first woman Senator, first woman Parliamentary Secretary, first woman vice Chancellor — “indeed we crossed many barriers for the first time.”

It was also at that time that the Constitution of the land granted women not only equal rights but also attempted to make up for the follies of the past by promising to make special provisions for the protection of their long-neglected interests, she remarked.

Dr Fehmida said “it is high time that we make our society realize that gender roles, inequities and power imbalances are not a ‘natural’ result of biological differences, but determined by the systems and cultures in which we live. The same can be changed if we seek social change.

She called for forging a comprehensive alliance of political parties, civil society, media and the international partners.

“I would certainly like to acknowledge the contributions of the United Nations, which has remained the most powerful system of global mobilisation in protecting and promoting women rights.” UN’s Special Envoy for Assistance to Pakistan Rauf Eugin Soyasal, Country Programme Director, UN Women Alice Shackelford, Chairperson, National Commission on the Status of Women Anis Haroon, Woman Ombudsperson of Pakistan Mussarat Hilali were also present on the occasion.

Source: Business Recorder

Date:7/30/2011

LAHORE: Individualland (IL) Pakistan, in collaboration with the Aurat Publication and Information Service Foundation, held first of its series of workshops in Islamabad from July 25 to July 27 regarding creating awareness amongst media authorities on gender equity in nine districts of Pakistan.

The workshops were held under the USAID and The Asia Foundation’s joint venture, Gender Equity Programme (GEP). Media personnel belonging to print and electronic media participated in the sensitisation sessions.

Media personnel related to print media were invited for the event on July 25, media personnel from radios on July 27, while other electronic media representatives on July 26. The objectives of the initiative were to sensitise the electronic and print media regarding the issue of women empowerment and use it as a medium for its advocacy.

Gulmina Bilal Ahmad and Tauseeq Haider moderated the event, while gender expert Dr Rakhshanda Parveen was the resource person on behalf of Individualland Pakistan. The discussions focused on the sensitivity of communicating women-related issues through media and selection of appropriate messages.

Radio/TV Producer Kanwal Naseer was the chief guest of the event and distributed certificates among the participants at the conclusion of the session.

Aurat Foundation’s Chief of Party Seemi Kamal was also present on the occasion. Individualland Pakistan is an active non-partisan, non-profit registered civil society group. Since its inception, it has worked on issues pertaining to governance, rule of law, media communication skills, strengthening civil society and democratic development. Gender inequality is one of the most pressing issues in Pakistan, the speakers at the occasion said.

Social taboos, religious and cultural elements are among the leading factors that result in a society that does not believe in gender equity, they said, adding that IL, with the support of Aurat Foundation and USAID, endeavours to take steps in this direction that will help create awareness among society on this sensitive issue through media personnel associated with TV/radio, print and online media.

Source: Daily Times

Date:7/30/2011

MANSEHRA: A woman has been killed in Torghar in the name of honour although a jirga had granted the mother of four a pardon, according to the residents of the area.

“It seems the recent change in the status of the area, from “tribal” to “settled” has eroded the influence the centuries-old jirga system held in Torghar. In the past it would have been unthinkable to go against the verdict of a jirga,” said one resident.

Sources said that the woman had eloped with a stranger from Basikhel Kanan Syedain to Rawalpindi. However, she was brought back on July 26 to Torghar. A local jirga provided indemnity to the woman, a mother of four, but her father-in-law shot her dead, sources said.

District Coordination Officer Fareed Khan, when contacted, said that law would take its due course and the alleged killer would be taken to task.

President Asif Ali Zardari had changed the tribal status of Torghar into a settled district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through a presidential notification earlier this year.

Meanwhile, two persons were killed in separate incidents in Torgar on Friday.

Police said that Sajizada and his accomplices shot dead Syed Zada in Nusratkhel area over an old enmity. The accused managed to escape, they added.

In another incident, Zaibullah drowned in Indus River near Judbah Kozkallay. Local people rushed to the scent to rescue Zaibullah but failed and later on his body was fished out.

ELECTRICITY: The federal government provided electricity to five villages of Balakot with an estimated cost of Rs15 million.

Former district nazim Sardar Mohammad Yousuf inaugurated the power supply scheme at Bagh Bonja area on Friday as his son Sardar Shahjahan Yousuf, a minister of state, could not attend the ceremony because of his official engagements in Islamabad.

Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Yousuf and former MPA Syed Mazhar Ali Qasim said that Pakistan Muslim League-Q joined hands with the ruling party for the welfare of masses. “The PML-Q wants to steer the country out of the current crisis,” they claimed.

They said that people of Balakot had been suffering since the October 8, 2005 earthquake bur now their issues would be addressed.

Source: Dawn

Date:7/30/2011