Meeting of Women Parliamentarians of South Asian Association for Regional Conference of Speakers and Parliamentarians held

Islamabad, November 04, 2012 (PPI-OT): A meeting of the Women Parliamentarians of the 6th SAARC Conference of Speakers and Parliamentarians was held today in Islamabad at the first session of the 3 day program. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Nafisa Shah (MNA and Secretary Women’s Parliamentary Caucus) participants included Women Parliamentarians from all political parties and SAARC countries. The topic of this meeting was “Role of Women Parliamentarians in Strengthening democracy and Social Justice.”

In her opening remarks Dr. Nafisa Shah welcomed the SAARC delegates and highlighted the important issues concerning women of the South Asian region. She stressed upon the need for Gender mainstreaming to be transformative and while emphasizing that quotas are essential to making women visible, institutional changes in political parties, electoral politics, are the final guarantee to ensuring women’s political empowerment.

Participants discussed the Issues that are being faced by the women of the region such as honor killings, acid burn crime, and dowry, mortality rates in child birth, illiteracy, unemployment, poverty and rights to inheritance.

Representatives from each country shared their experiences with regards to women parliamentarian’s experience, role and performance in policy making. Ms. Shehnaz Wazir Ali (Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Social Sector) presented Pakistan’s perspective relevant to the topic under discussion, socio economic and political issues being faced by the women of country while endorsing the impressive role of Women’s Parliamentary Caucus for its achievements in advocating women issues and legislating women friendly laws.

The Meeting ended with the adoption of a joint statement (attached for your reference) and note of thanks By Senator Begum Nuzhat Sadiq.

For more information, contact:
Karamat Hussain Niazi
Secretary
National Assembly of Pakistan
Parliament House, Islamabad
Tel: +9251 922 1082 -83
Fax: +9251 922 1106