|
Empowerment
of women key to achieving MDG
Islamabad
Empowerment of women and recognition
of their equal status in the mainstream decision making bodies in
the country is key to achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
speakers said at a UN-sponsored national level consultative forum.
Besides, they emphasized for national
efforts to reduce alarming maternal mortality ratio in the country
and for policy coordination to implement gender sensitive guidelines
for accomplishing desired institutional restructuring in Pakistan.
The consultative forum entitled ‘International Conference on
Population Welfare’ was organized by Ministry of Women Development (MoWD),
in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at
Bhurban.
Addressing the session, Salman Asif,
United Nations Advisor on Gender Issues, said that it was important
to promote gender equality and empower women to increase their
participation in decision-making, which is crucial in finding sound
solutions and implementing appropriate policy in achieving the MDGs.
“We need to change public attitudes
regarding gender sensitive issues for which only media can play
vital role,” he maintained. Asif stressed that gender equality is
measured not just by numbers but also by equal recognition and
status, not just to provide equal inputs but also to ensure equal
outcomes.
Federal Secretary for Women
Development, Raja Raza Arshad said that the government had launched
Gender Reform Action Plan (GRAP) for empowerment of the marginalized
female population by creating awareness in general public. He said
GRAP targets to reduce existing gender gaps for enabling them to
play their due role in the overall socio-economic development of
society. We are considering making the plan as permanent part of the
ministry.
“Indeed, gender mainstreaming is not
a women’s issue, it is an issue of good governance. It seeks to
ensure that institutions, policies, and programs respond to the
needs of men and women on the basis of equity, along with enhancing
accountability of government,” Arshad added.
The News :Monday, May 25, 2009
|
