President Dr. Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan is committed to creating a society where women can live free from fear and violence. In his message pertaining to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women being observed today, the President said this day serves as a stark reminder that violence against women is a global issue that demands our collective attention and action.
The President urged the government organizations, civil society, media and Ulema to work for the elimination of violence against women. He said that Pakistan was committed to creating a society where women could live free from fear and violence.
“In our pursuit of this goal, Pakistan has undertaken several initiatives to eradicate violence against women, including the establishment of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) to inquire into violations of women’s rights; the establishment of Family Protection Centers in Islamabad and Women’s Crisis and Shelter Centers in provinces; the enactment of Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Act, 2022, the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021, the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2020, and the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018,” he remarked.
He said that recognizing the importance of support for victims of violence, Pakistan had increased the availability of counselling services, shelters, and helplines to provide immediate assistance and long-term support to affected women. “We understand that addressing violence against women requires a global effort. Pakistan is actively collaborating with international organizations and regional fora to share best practices and work collectively towards eliminating this issue.”
The president said that Pakistan had been making tireless efforts to work for the protection of women’s rights and provide them all opportunities to help them fully develop their faculties. Efforts were also being made to enhance educational opportunities for women and make them economically independent, he added. He said although Pakistan had made progress to promote women’s rights and eliminate violence against them, more efforts were still needed and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was a call for action.
He said although Pakistan had made progress to promote women’s rights and eliminate violence against them, more efforts were still needed and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was a call for action.