Senate passes resolution recognising challenges faced by women, urges greater economic inclusion

The Senate unanimously passed a resolution on Saturday recognising the persistent disparities and challenges faced by women and girls in the country and recommending the government to take “accelerated measures to ensure and enhance women’s economic inclusion” on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The Global Gender Gap Index 2023, released by the World Economic Forum, ranks Pakistan 142 out of 146 countries and as one of the worst performing countries in gender parity, with grim literacy and high school dropout rates, and an age-old climate of disdain towards women’s education.

The Labour Force Survey 2020-21 showed that female participation stood at 15.5 per cent. In 2024, the human rights ministry said that in the last three years, 63,000 cases of violence against women were reported; most cases, sadly, do not come to light.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman moved the resolution in the Senate, stating that development in all sectors was not possible without the full inclusion of women.

According to the resolution, the Senate recognised the “persistent disparities and challenges faced by women and girls […] including but not limited to economic, social, and political barriers that hinder their full participation and contribution to society”.

The resolution acknowledged that the country ranked 145 out of 146 countries on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, indicating a significant gender gap and a decline from 2023.

The Senate recommended that the government should take accelerated measures to ensure and enhance women’s economic inclusion.

The resolution called for “forging women’s economic empowerment by increasing financial inclusion, expanding access to credit and business resources, and fostering entrepreneurship to create sustainable economic opportunities for women”.

“Ensuring women have the right to make health choices and not be forced to marry while they are underage,” it added.

The resolution said the government should help women and girls make informed decisions about their health by reforming healthcare policies, ensuring access to reproductive health services, and prioritising mental and maternal health care.

“Ensuring women’s access to legal rights, information on their rights, and timely action for prosecution of crimes against women, including political victims,” the resolution demanded.

“Ensuring action on gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the victim workplace,” it said, calling on the government to ensure crimes based on so-called “honour” were severely penalised by law.

“Recruiting, retaining, and developing and investing in women’s talent by strengthening policies that promote workplace equity, ensure fair and equal wages, and implement programmes to support career progression and leadership development,” it further called for.

It asked to support women and girls in leadership, decision-making, business and STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics — fields through strategic mentorship programmes, scholarships and educational reforms that broke barriers to professional advancement.

“Designing and building infrastructure that meets the needs of women and girls by improving transport safety, workplace childcare facilities, and access to digital and financial resources to support economic participation.

“Involving women and girls in sustainable agriculture and food security by equipping them with technical training, land rights, and access to agricultural financing to enhance their role in climate resilience and food sustainability,” said other points of the resolution.

The resolution also called for providing women and girls with access to quality education and training by “eliminating barriers to schooling, promoting literacy programmes and ensuring digital access for skill-building and lifelong learning”.

It said the government should elevate “participation and achievement in sports by increasing investment in female athletes, ensuring equal opportunities, and breaking gender stereotypes in competitive sports”.

It called for promotion of creative and artistic talent by “supporting women in the arts, literature, and cultural industries through funding, mentorship, and public platforms for expression”.

“Addressing further areas supporting the advancement of women and girls, including legal protections against discrimination, stronger enforcement of equal pay policies, and initiatives that amplify women’s voices in media and policymaking,” it demanded.

The Senate also called upon all stakeholders to join hands in the “collective pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment, recognising that only through bold, decisive, and sustained efforts can we build a more inclusive, equitable, and just society for all.

“These measures emphasise the importance of Accelerate Action for Gender Equality, as highlighted by the theme for International Women’s Day 2025, consistent with the priority of the UN 69th Commission on the Status of Women aimed at advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through economic inclusion for women and girls globally,” it said.

PM pledges mission of gender equality & women’s empowerment

Separately, addressing an event on International Women’s Day in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said women’s empowerment could only be achieved by providing them equal access to education, skill development and employment opportunities while reaffirming his commitment to gender equality.

The premier said that it was the government’s mission and unwavering commitment to ensure emancipation of the country’s female population as he launched the capital’s first-ever Gender Parity Report, which identified challenges and recommended solutions in key areas such as education, health, governance, political representation and justice.

According to APP, the premier said his government would collaborate with provinces for a collective action to promote women’s integration in programmes contributing to the national economy.

He announced that he would establish a Working Women’s Endowment Fund in a bid to support working women and help them compete with the contemporary challenges.

Shehbaz termed the Women Empowerment Package a revolutionary step in eliminating discrimination against women in areas of employment and for making special provisions to provide them facilities at par with men.

“Our 50pc women population can be turned into a productive workforce if given a level-playing field,” he said.

To facilitate working women, the premier highlighted that daycare centres were set up across public and private departments in Islamabad, with a plan to further expand the scope of facilities.

The prime minister regretted that a large number of highly-qualified women in the country quit professional careers in their struggle to balance work and families, resulting in a huge loss of skilled human resource.

“My message to the educated [women] segment is to come forward and join hospitals, banks and other professions of their expertise in order to positively contribute towards a stronger economy,” he said.

PM Shehbaz paid tribute to the women who played a prominent role in shaping the landscape of female empowerment.

“These daughters of the nation are a remarkable symbol of women empowerment who made their mark in their respective fields,” he said.

The premier recalled the steps taken for women’s emancipation, including the establishment of Punjab’s first anti-violence centres for women, enhanced women quota in boards of government departments, increased stipend for girl students, and ending child labour at brick-kilns by enrolling 90,000 such children to schools.

Similarly, President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan was committed to advancing women’s rights in line with its constitutional provisions and international commitments.

In a message to mark the day, he said, “Today, Pakistan joins the world in celebrating International Women’s Day to highlight women’s resilience and their contributions in shaping societies and driving progress.”

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said the government remained firmly committed to empowering women through equitable access to education, expanded economic opportunities and progressive policies.

“We deeply value the pivotal role of women in diverse fields, including diplomacy, governance, business and beyond and recognise their immense contributions to our nation’s development,” he said in a message on observance of International Women’s Day.

“By fostering an inclusive and supportive environment, we strive to ensure that every woman has the opportunity to realise her full potential and participate meaningfully in our collective progress,” he added.

He said on this day, the government celebrated and honoured the remarkable contributions of women across all spheres of life, observing that women in Pakistan and around the world played an indispensable role in shaping societies, driving progress and inspiring future generations.

“Their resilience, dedication, and extraordinary achievements stand as a testament to their strength and remain a profound source of pride for our nation,” Dar was quoted as saying.

FM Dar called for unwavering commitment to gender equality and the advancement of women’s rights.

“A society that uplifts and empowers its women is one that thrives. Together, we must continue to break barriers, challenge outdated stereotypes, and build a future where women and men stand as equal partners in the journey toward prosperity and progress,” he said.