Pakistan is organising an international conference on 'Violence against Women' on September 7-8 in Islamabad. Nelofar Bakhtiar, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Women Development, said this at a press conference here on Sunday.
She said that the conference would be attended by 60 foreign delegates from 25 countries, who would be ministers, government officials, media persons, survivors of different violence and civil society representatives.
She said that invitations had been extended to ministers/incharge of women development in many countries of the world, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Malaysia, Sweden, USA, Canada, Australia etc.
The advisor said that Pakistan had been doing well in addressing the women related issues in the society, which would be highlighted, and new ideas would be shared to combat the menace in the future.
She said that all participants would be given special time to ponder on the menace, and would openly discuss such issues which lead to violence against women.
She said that Pakistan had made tremendous progress in reducing violence against women in the society, and praised the media for its role to highlight the relevant cases and issues.
The conference would be inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf. A number of sessions would be held on different topics in these two days, she added.
Federal ministers for information, interior, law and social welfare will chair four different sessions on the second day of the conference.
An open discussion would be held in the last session where recommendations and feedback will be taken from participants and a report would be compiled in the light of these recommendations, she added.
Nelofar said that a number of violence survivors have also been invited, including Shazia Khalid, Mukhtaran Mai and others whose opinions would also be included in polity making.
All woman opposition members of the Assemblies would be given chance to present their opinion in the conference, she said.
Representatives from all those NGOs have been invited which are working for addressing the issues, which are against women.
She said that the government would make legislation to check domestic violence against women, which would take at least one-and-a-half years time.
She said Dr Shazia has gone UK on her own will, and added that the government would give her legal and moral support, like Mukhtaran Mai, if she came back.
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