Islamabad, August 01, 2023 (PPI-OT): The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) in collaboration with UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA and Jazz is conducting a two-day event to create a national policy framework and launch the report ‘Digitalization and Women in Pakistan’ at Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. NCSW with its consortium partners, UNDP, UN-WOMEN, UNFPA and Jazz produced a comprehensive report “Digitalization and Women in Pakistan” as a result of a rigorous country-wide consultative process, engaging public and private sectors, civil society, academia, media and think tanks etc. The report was presented at the 67th session of the Global Commission on the Status of Women during 8th March 2023 celebrations in New York The first day of the conference i.e.
August 1st, began with the welcoming address from the Chairperson NCSW, Nilofar Bakhtiar. “49% of the population are women, we cannot leave them behind. At this conference, work not for the advancement of women, work for the advancement of the country,” she said. Senator Seemi Ezdi, who moved the resolution to equip women and girls with digital skills in the assembly, spoke on the importance of a unified vision while formulating relevant policies and implementation guidelines. In his keynote address, Senator Faratullah Babar shed light on the importance of gearing women in Pakistan with essential digital tools and skills.
The Minister of Human Rights, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, stated “Together, we can build a nation where gender is no barrier to digital progress and where the full potential of every citizen, regardless of gender, is realized,” and officially declared the conference open. The revised Child Marriage Restraint Act was presented to the Minister of Human Rights, Riaz Hussain Pirzada by Chairperson NCSW Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar, and he promised to pass the bill before the current assembly would dissolve. During the conference, policy frameworks on the basis of the Digitalization and Women in Pakistan report were designed respective to each Province by representatives from the provincial representatives of the Women Development Departments, the Social Welfare Departments, Provincial Commission on the Status of Women (PCSWs), the Information and Technology departments, Planning and Development Departments and the Technical Education Departments of all provinces of Pakistan including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Day one concluded with a discussion of the plan by the Chairperson NCSW, Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar. Day two of the conference, i.e. August 2nd will comprise of a discussion on the way forward. It will include all the relevant stakeholders including civil society members, government officials, PTA authority telecommunication service providers, and representatives from all PCSWs. Provincial frameworks on gender and the digital divide will be further discussed and developed. The report will be launched on the second session of the second day.
For more information, contact:
Principal Information Officer,
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +92-51-9252323, +92-51-9252324
Fax: +92-51-9252325, +92-51-9252326
Email: piopid@gmail.com
Website: www.pid.gov.pk