Press Release

International Women’s Week Celebrations

Seminar on ‘Sensitization of General Public for the Promotion & Protection of Human Rights’

Women Empowerment cannot be achieved without upholding women rights and gender equality agenda, MoHR

Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Peshawar in collaboration with Ministry of Human Rights organized a seminar today in connection with International Women’s Day,2020.

The event aimed to advocate action for women economic empowerment through education for protection and promotion of women rights with special focus on excluded groups.

Theme of the year 2020 for the international women day is “Generation Equality” which is aimed at forgoing a more gender-balanced world and putting up collective efforts for equality.

The seminar included a Panel Discussion wherein experts from dynamic fields shared their valuable views regarding gender equality, measures to be taken in account to promote awareness in the general public regarding the human rights and gender equality. They also discussed the entrepreneurial opportunities for females, the efforts being made in taking pro women laws, role of women parliamentarians in decision making role and the challenges faced at policy level for people with special needs of the meaningful steps that encounter and what innovative measures may be taken to ensure inclusiveness.

Prof. Dr. Razia Sultana, Vice Chancellor SBBWUP declared that “I strongly agree human rights to all without any discrimination on the basis of caste, color, faith, creed and gender. She said that I’m a great supporter of equal rights for women as they are half of the world and equally talented as their males being the counter parts, I stand for each and equal and equal world is a better and empowered world”.

Mr. Ghulam Ali, Director (MoHR) on Friday said that the provincial government is committed to improve the status of women in province and advance gender equality agenda. He was addressing “Panel discussion” jointly organized by UN Women and Ministry of Human Rights, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chapter at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar.

Director appreciated the efforts of UN Women in the province and acknowledged the role of education institutions in reinforcing the economic empowerment of women in our society. He said, “Nonetheless, it is equally important to mark a day but simultaneously we are required to join hands for collective efforts in order to help women reach their full potential. Although, Government has taken concrete steps in this regard i.e. the women empowerment policy is under implementation, pro-women legislative reforms are priority and new initiatives are planned to ensure women rights are safeguarded.”

Zainab Qaiser Khan, Head of Sub Office UN Women Peshawar, talked about the work of UN Women to advance gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. She said that UN Women is committed for women economic empowerment and other than supporting home-based workers on ground; UN Women is also working at policy level.

The Chief Guest, MPA Ayesha Bano stated that it’s an achievement that the students are taken on board in order to spread awareness in the general public on gender equality. She stated that we have to become each other’s strength and facilitate the women with less opportunities. She further stated that 50 % of the population are females and we cannot set them apart from the economic growth

The event was attended by teaching faculty, senior management of the women university, civil society, media and more than 100 female students.

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