International Women's Day Message

PROGRESS of WOMEN under the PPP ADMINISTRATION

Benazir Bhutto

International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day is
marked on the 8th of March every year. It is a day of global celebration of women. In
different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect,
appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and
social achievements.

On this occasion it is pertinent to recall the words of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and thus
follows a speech she presented on the International Women's Day of 2007.

“On the occasion of the International Women Day being observed today (Thursday, 8 March
2007), I wish to congratulate the women of the world in general and of Pakistan in
particular.

As the first woman ever elected to head an Islamic nation, I feel a special responsibility
regarding issues that relate to women. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) considers
promotion of women's rights as a religious, moral and political obligation. Women the world
over have been subjected to varying degrees of discrimination, exploitation and violence.
This situation must change; it will. The discrimination against and backwardness of women
has nothing to do either with the religion or cultural values. It is simply the result of
prejudice.

In the West, the women's liberation movement began in the 20th century. But in the
Islamic world, the women's rights movement is as old as Islam itself although,
unfortunately, one would not know this when looking at the degeneration of values over the
years. On this day, let us all resolve to fight against these prejudices against women. I am
confident that we will win the fight. The celebrations today mark a realization that women
everywhere are waking up.

The fact that four Muslim-majority countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia)
have had female heads of government, gives assurance that the problems of women in
Islamic societies can be seriously addressed. Let me on this day also recall that as Prime
Minister of Pakistan my administration was able to set a trend in gender equality and
protection of women from violence. That trend is now irreversible. We identified laws
discriminatory to women adopted by male prejudice and began to review them. We also
undertook a comprehensive social action program largely for the benefit of women in the
rural areas.

Had the PPP continued in Government, there would have been women in the Supreme Court
of Pakistan. Unfortunately, the senior most woman judge that should have been taken into
the Supreme Court was not which in our view was a clear sign of gender discrimination
under the present military regime. Despite obstacles, the PPP Administration was able to
make great achievements such as:

1. After 17 years, CEDAW (United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women, 1979) was signed by the Government of Pakistan in August
1995, ratified in March 1996 and accepted by the Legal Affairs Office of the United Nations
in April 1996.

2. A Commission of Inquiry for Women, headed by a Supreme Court judge, was constituted
to recommend the removal of disparities and discrimination in the existing laws against
women, the report of which has since been made public.

3. 5% to 10% quota in the public and private sectors was reserved for women and family
courts were set up.

4. Two bills were placed on the floor of the House for the restoration of women seats in the
National and four Provincial Assemblies but the outcome was not positive because the PPP
lacked two-thirds majority.

5. Lifted the ban on Pakistani women taking part in international sporting events and
established a separate Women Sports Board.

6. The First Women Bank was set up for women to extend credit facilities and loans
exclusively to women.

7. Women Police Stations were set up and more women were brought in the law enforcing
agencies.

8. A Human Rights Division was set up to focus on the violations of human rights, primarily
of women, and to redress their grievances.

9. When our stand on the Hudood Ordinances 1979, which were patently discriminatory
against women, forced the present military regime to adopt the Women Protection Bill
(WPB) recently, the PPP supported the Bill despite being in the Opposition. We supported
this half measure for the sake of women as the first critical step towards complete repeal of
the Hudood Ordinances.

The increase in rape incidents during 2000-2007 is outrageous. On this international

Women's Day, the PPP reiterates and wishes to send a powerful message that crimes
against women would not be tolerated.

On this Day, I also appeal to all political parties to join hands beyond partisan politics to
extricate women from the agony and shame of discriminatory laws. By mobilizing the
collective power of women, we can make our world more tolerant, harmonious and secure.
We share a common destiny. Let us work for it together.”