LAHORE (APP):Former planning minister Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday urged the civil society to play a constructive role in eliminating gender-based violence from society.
“No country can progress without empowering its women and giving them due rights,” he said while addressing a seminar titled, “Empowering Women of Narowal to Fight Against Gender-Based Violence,” organized by the Planning Commission of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission and University of Narowal at the University of Engineering, Lahore.
Among others, the event was attended by Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsperson on Protection against Harassment, Nida Usman Founder of Women in Law, Vice Chancellor (VC) University of Narowal, UET Lahore, Narowal Campus, Dr Bushra H. Rahman, Professor Punjab University, Bareera Hanif, Sector Specialist Innovation, Gender Specialist at the Planning Commission and a large number of women from different walks of life.
The key objective of the event was to create awareness, foster dialogue and empower women to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in the district of Narowal.
The event shed light on the importance of women’s empowerment and the role they could play in eradicating GBV from their communities.
“Women should speak up against heinous crimes so that perpetrators should be brought to justice under the existing laws,” Ahsan Iqbal, who is also the General Secretary of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, said.
It is noted that the Federal Ombudsperson reported more than 5,000 harassment cases at the workplace during the period from 2018 to 2022, whereas from 2013 to 2018 only 298 cases were reported.
“Education not only enlightens the minds but also empowers individuals to challenge societal norms and fight against injustice,” Ahsan Iqbal said, while urging the women to come forward and play their constructive role in society.
“Islam and the country’s Constitution guaranteed the rights of women so everyone should follow the related injunctions and law, “ he added.
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