'Discrimination against women to be eliminated'

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli on Tuesday assured that her country will actively work with the international community to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.
Addressing the working session of the fourth World Conference on women in Beijing she said Pakistan is participating in all activities at regional and international levels to attain the arduous task of gender equality.
She gave a detailed presentation to the conference on the measures, being taken by the government of Pakistan to enhance women's participation in the national development.
Anisa Zeb told the gathering of over 500 eminent women from all over the world that Pakistan has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and Saarc convention against women's trafficking.
The government of Pakistan, she added, has initiated various legislative and administrative measures to project the rights of women, ensuring their respectable status in the society. "In Pakistan, conscious efforts have been made, to have their maximum contribution to the development of economic and social sectors" she added.
Today Pakistan is seen as a moderate, enlightened and progressive country in the international community, the minister said adding, the efforts for women development and empowerment are also unprecedented.
She also apprised the conference of the National Plan of Action (NPA), by the present government to achieve the agenda for the empowerment of women in Pakistan. Prepared on the basis of national participatory process, the NA is aimed at facilitating women's participation in all spheres of life, besides ensuring protection of their due rights within the family and the society, she added.
Anisa Zeb assured that her country would take all possible steps to realise the objectives of Beijing's conference, giving new impetus to global women's advancement. "We are prepared to cooperate with the international community to establish a clear path towards the attainment of women's rights," she added.
She lauded the efforts of the Chinese government, strengthening regional co-operation for upgrading socio-economic life of women in the society.
Earlier, on his arrival on a five-day visit to China, she said on Pakistan considers China a most trustworthy friend in the world and wished their decades old partnership grows further and help to improve the socio-economic life of their people.
"There have been unprecedented trust and goodwill in their relationship that stood the test of time", she said while talking to APP on her arrival here.
She said, Pakistan would like to share experience and knowledge with other countries to enhance the participation of women in the overall national development and overcome their social and economic difficulties, she added.