Pakistani delegation heads for Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Beijing+30

Islamabad : Pakistan’s delegation for the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Beijing+30 has departed for Bangkok, where the event will take place from November 19 to November 21, 2024. The delegation is being led by MNA Barrister Aqeel Malik, joined by Acting Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) Umme Laila, and Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, A.D. Khwaja.

The Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Beijing+30 is a pivotal platform for assessing progress and discussing strategies related to gender equality and the empowerment of women across the region. It marks a significant follow-up to the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, which laid the groundwork for the global agenda on women's rights. During the conference, Barrister Aqeel Malik is set to deliver Pakistan’s country statement, emphasizing the nation's commitments, achievements, and ongoing challenges in the realm of women's rights and gender equality. The conference will also include discussion sessions of the representatives of NGO working on women rights.

Pakistan was one of the strongest supporters of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action under the leadership of then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto at the Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW) held in Beijing in 1995. The country signed the Beijing Declaration in the same year, committing to the achievement of the 12 areas delineated in the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) focused on these areas in its National Plan of Action of 1998. Pakistan undertook a review in 2019 and, as mentioned in ‘National Report on the Status of Women in Pakistan 2023’ published by NCSW with the support of UN Women, the areas noted for progress included; inclusive development, shared prosperity and decent work; poverty eradication, social protection and services; freedom from violence, stigma; stereotypes; and participation, accountability, and gender-responsive institutions and peaceful and inclusive societies.

While Pakistan has made strides in legislative and policy frameworks to safeguard and promote women's rights, significant challenges persist. The country has introduced several laws aimed at curbing gender-based violence, ensuring workplace safety, and providing inheritance rights. Many good practices are being implemented, and success stories can be found across the country. This includes the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), launched in 2008, which is the largest single social safety net programme in the country specifically targeting women, with a total of 8.7 million women beneficiaries to date. Further, the establishment of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) courts and women police stations, as well as progressive court judgments on women’s issues such as sexual assault, domestic violence and child marriage, demonstrate the commitment of the Government to tackle gender-based violence, advance gender equality and empower women. Initiatives to promote women's participation in politics and leadership roles have also been implemented. On the hand, the effectiveness and implementation of these laws and initiatives is still questionable.

Women in Pakistan continue to face systemic issues such as limited access to education and justice, economic disparities, and entrenched social norms that restrict their empowerment. Gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and honour crimes, still affects a significant portion of the female population. According to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017-18, 23% of ever-married women (15-49 years) report having experienced physical violence, 26% emotional violence, and 5% sexual violence at the hands of husbands or intimate partners. Only in Punjab province, 10,201 cases of violence against women in 2023, says an annual report on violence against women published by Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO).