Steps taken by the Federal Government to empower women

Posted by Info Zone on 00:36:00 in Social | 1 comment

The Present Government as per its manifesto considers it a national duty to protect the interests of women and provide them equal opportunities without any discrimination.

The Present Government in its manifesto has promised to promote participation of women in national development, give preference to women  teachers in primary education, enact and improve legislation on violence against women, expand micro credit for female borrowers and inheritance and property rights of female heirs shall be safeguarded.
Present government had taken several steps for welfare and progress of women in society so that they could play an effective role in the prosperity of the country.  Women had proved their mettle in all walks of life and served the nation hand in hand with men.

The government strongly believes that the country could not make progress without providing equal opportunities to women which were half part of society.

Present government is committed to ensuring empowerment of women as their participation in all walks of life is necessary for sustainable development. The Government believes that effective participation of women, in political and practical fields, is essential to make Pakistan a strong and dignified country in the comity of nations.

Amount of Rs100 million rupees has been allocated for the establishment of day care centers. Another 250 million rupees have been allocated for the establishment of hostels for working women at the Tehsil level. This contribution will be an impetus to support and empower our womenfolk to aim ever higher to realize their dreams.

The Federal Government has taken various steps to achieve gender equality and women empowerment through awareness raising, special incentives and initiatives like BISP and Youth Loans.

Women’s participation in employment is encouraged with ten percent quota for women in public sector institutions. Government is collaborating with civil society organisations and with international donors to generate data on women and to develop support systems for women.

At the federal level, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights has established a helpline for legal advice to protect women from violence.

Prime Minister’s commitments made at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in New York on 27^th September 2015 saying that.

§  We are looking towards creating an enabling environment that will provide our women and girls even greater access to education, economic resources, skill development and employment opportunities.

§  We will build and strengthen institutions that are more responsive to women’s need, help remove remaining obstacles to their economic empowerment, and provide them a world free of violence. This requires an attitudinal shift and a long-term commitment to making women equal partners in national and global progress and prosperity.”

Being a state party to the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Pakistan was committed to implementing its provisions in true spirit. The government has already taken measures to ensure women’s rights as envisaged in the CEDAW.

Acknowledging ‘honor’ killings one of the most critical problems facing the country, the premiere of Ms Chinoy’s documentary on the subject, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, was held at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday, Feb 22.

The premier went on to add that honor killings were one of the most critical problems in the country and the government is determined to adopt all possible ways to remove this stain from our society. Customs and practices like honor killings have nothing to do with the divine principles and theories of Islam.

Prime Minister said that Women are the most essential part of our society and I believe in their empowerment, protection and emancipation of achieving the shared goal a prosperous and vibrant Pakistan.

The Present government had enacted effective legislation to address women’s issues with a view to safeguard their rights.

The prime minister has been pleased to constitute a committee to formulate the National Women Empowerment Policy 2016, proposed to be launched on the occasion of the International Women’s Day on March 8.

Besides protecting the rights of women and helping them break the shackles of tyranny and oppression, the federal government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is working efficiently to make women understand their role in society as per the constitution.

The committee under the head of Federal Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid was directed by the Prime Minister that the final recommendations of the committee shall be submitted to him for his approval by March 5.

The think tank working under the head of Maryam Nawaz Sharif has actually prepared the draft of the proposed policy on women empowerment and all what the committee would do is to give it a legal wetting and providing a requisite legal cover to the whole exercise.Maryam Nawaz Sharif had taken extra pain in formulating the structure of National Women Empowerment Policy 2016.

In line with federal Government efforts to empower women and as per its manifesto, Punjab government has taken revolutionary steps, to ensure protection of women rights, and to provide them equal opportunities, due to which women are now playing a vigorous and effectual role in progress, prosperity and development of the country.

The Punjab government had taken concrete steps to bring women into the mainstream of progress and prosperity. For the first time in the history of the country, not only the Present government raised the women’s quota in all government organisations by 33%, those who talk about bringing change explicitly stated that they wanted to get rid of women’s reserved seats in parliament.

For the first time in the history, the provincial government had also granted joint proprietary rights of residential plots, made available under government schemes, to both husband and wife.

Universities and colleges had been established for women, while a large number of women were also benefiting from laptop scheme, ujala programme, internship programme and self-employment scheme. As no society could develop without progress of women, the Punjab government had empowered women in every walk of life.

The Punjab government established the office of Ombudsperson in December 2013 and Women Development Department in April 2014 under Punjab Women Empowerment Package.

The Punjab government established Commission on the Status of Woman in Punjab for the empowerment of women, expansion of opportunities for socio-economic development of women and elimination of all forms of gender discrimination against females, maintaining that gender issues were now being discussed in Punjab in the mainstream.

The Punjab Assembly has 66 seats reserved for women, more than in any other province, which goes to show the government’s intention of empowering women at the provincial level.

Punjab government’s Women Empowerment Package had received international recognition, and that this package ensured that women received their due share of family inheritance.

In addition to that, the Prime Minister Youth Loan Scheme also reserves a 50 percent quota for women. Present, on the provincial level, has mentored women to establish their own businesses besides making them aware of their rights as per the constitution.

Women on Wheels (Wow) is a unique project of Government of the Punjab, which empowers our young girls.Women on Wheels" is a step towards fulfilling the Quaid's dream of empowerment of our women aimed at enabling them to play greater & more confident role in the society.

Punjab government was introducing vital improvements in legislations pertaining to Child Marriage Act, Dower Act, Guardian and Ward Act, Marriage Registration Form and Inheritance Laws. A comprehensive policy was also being formulated for domestic servants. Birth registration fee was being done away with for encouraging registration of births of girl child.

Only female contractors will run canteens in girls’ schools and colleges. Provincial commission has already been set up in Punjab and its chairperson was also being nominated.

This highlights the stark contrast between how PML – N sees women as a part of Pakistan’s future in comparison to its opponents. This is why the PML – N enjoys more support among female voters than any other party in Pakistan.

Women Protection Bill becomes law in Punjab:

The Punjab Assembly has passed the long-awaited Protection of Women against violence Bill 2015 which contains remedies for victims of violence, criminalizes all forms of violence against women and also provides them with special centers which remove the usual red tape hurdles that complicate a woman’s quest for justice.

A toll-free universal access number (UAN) will be started to receive complaints while district protection committee will be established to investigate complaints filed by women. Centres will also be set up for reconciliation and resolution of disputes.

Protection Officers will be liable to inform the defendant whenever a complaint is received. Offering resistance to Protection Officers will be punishable by up to six months imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs500, 000. Once a complaint is received its will be updated into a database which will soon be set up.

Filing a false complaint or leveling false accusations can be punishable by up to three months in jail and or a fine of between Rs50, 000 to Rs100, 000.

The law will not allow aggrieved women to be forced out of her house. The defendant can be made to leave the house for two days, according to the law.

Darul Aman and protections centers’ will be setup according to the passed law. Shelter homes will be built for the protection of aggrieved women, which will provide boarding and lodging facilities to the victim and children (if any).

The defendant will be liable to bear all the expenses of the complainant women in case the court orders for it.

If the defendant refuses to pay cash then the court can order for the payment to be deducted from their salary if applicable.

Defendants can be cuffed with GPS tracking bracelets if ordered by the Court. Those attempting to remove or tamper with the tracking bracelets will be jailed for up to one year and fined between Rs50, 000 to Rs200, 000.

Defendants will not be allowed to apply for an arms license or procure weapons whereas weapons already registered in their name will have to be submitted in court.