At UN, Pak Says Gender Equality Is Among It's Top Priorities
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published February 15, 2017 | 10:45 AM
UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Feb, 2017 ) : Gender equality and women's empowerment are among top priorities of Pakistan where women have made important strides, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi has told the United Nations.
"Our adherence to the ideals of empowering women and protecting their rights stems from our faith, Constitution and the vision of our founding father," the Pakistani envoy said in a speech to UN-Women, the world body's entity working for empowerment of women, which opened its first session in 2017 on Tuesday.
As a leading troop contributing country, she said, Pakistan fully recognized the critical role of women in international peace and security. "Our women peacekeepers have served as police officers, doctors and nurses in missions in Asia, Africa and the Balkans." Pakistan had also earned the distinction of electing the first female prime minister in the Muslim world -- not once but twice, and its outstanding women professionals had served as speaker of the National Assembly, as foreign minister and governor of the Central Bank.
"Only yesterday, my government appointed the country's first-ever female Foreign Secretary." In her remarks, Ambassador Lodhi also cited the progress made by women around the world, saying they have a pivotal role to play in achieving sustainable development.
Achieving gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, she pointed out, was at the heart of the new development agenda. UN-Women, she said has the potential to catalyse change by utilizing its composite nature and mandates in a fully integrated fashion.
Ambassador Lodhi called for unwavering political support and ownership in order to accomplish the new development paradigm that poses many implementation and leadership challenges. "Women across the world, from Columbia to Uganda to Burundi to Tunisia, have emerged as leaders and consensus builders, inspiring hopes of peace and prosperity amidst conflict and violence", the Pakistani envoy said.
Over the years, she said women had demonstrated the requisite skills, capacities for mediation and peace building and displayed a remarkable ability to lead various international initiatives. Such skills and abilities make them particularly suited as special envoys, special representatives and resident coordinators, she said, adding that the current share of women in leadership roles at the UN remained abysmally low.
"We are encouraged to see Secretary-General Antonio Guterres focus on addressing this." APP/ia/anm
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Aeon & Trisl signifies back-to-back successes by securing the No. 1 Award at the ..
Attaullah Tarar’s success notification from NA-127 challenged
PSX witnesses positive trend today
PM Shehbaz meets CJP Isa to address IHC judges’ concerns
Pakistan vows to bring to justice perpetrators, abettors of Bisham terrorist att ..
May 9 riots: SC allows conditionally to military courts to deliver reserved verd ..
Interior Minister arrives in Peshawar after Shangla suicide attack
OPPO Reno 11 F 5G: Setting New Records as Pakistan's Most Beloved Smartphone Lin ..
PCB dismisses FICA's claims of unpaid dues in PSL
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 28 March 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 28 March 2024
Niger says US to submit plan to 'disengage' troops
More Stories From World
-
China willing to work with Pakistan to enhance capability of tackling security challenges: Col Wu Qi ..
29 minutes ago -
Haiti situation 'cataclysmic': UN
29 minutes ago -
Detectives return to French village to solve missing toddler mystery
29 minutes ago -
Japan Moon probe survives second lunar night: space agency
49 minutes ago -
Blond vs pink: French-Swiss battle for 'fourth' chocolate
1 hour ago -
Zangnan has been China's territory since ancient times: Spokesperson
2 hours ago
-
Nicoll relishes her shot at double Olympic stardom
2 hours ago -
Four killed in German motorway bus accident
2 hours ago -
French bill seeks to ban hair discrimination affecting black women
2 hours ago -
Gabon's post-coup reform efforts under fire
2 hours ago -
Meet China's first corgi police dog
3 hours ago -
Singapore sees sharp decrease in PE investment last year
3 hours ago