'Anti-women practices bill may be passed in next National Assembly session'

Minister for Women Development and Youth Affairs Sumaira Malik hoped that the government would get passed anti-women practices bill in next session of the National Assembly.
She said this at a two-day meeting "CEDAW; Reporting and Implementation" was held by the ministry of Women Development in collaboration with United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFM) here.
Briefing the meeting about the government's steps for women uplift Sumaira Malik said, "We will pass a bill (referring to anti-women practices bill) in next session of National Assembly to end inhumane practices against women".
The minister said that women who constitute half of the country's population were contributing their valuable services in every walk of life and their role could not be subtracted.
She said that the government was successfully going ahead with its agenda of women development and determined to overcome hurdles on this front. The minister said that the government had already taken a number of steps such as reserving of 10% quota in CSS, passage of women protection bill etc, which to elevate status of women in the society.
She said in wake of flawed laws women had been exploited in the name of Islam for the last 27 years, but the present government under the leadership of President Musharraf rectified those laws through women protection act, the minister added.
She informed the participants that women had been given handsome representation at all levels of government, by ensuring for them maximum participation of 33 percent, 22 percent and 17 percent representation in Local Government, National Assembly and Senate respectively.
She said that her ministry was pursuing numerous programmes for women empowerment and especially Women's Political School project was popular for its tremendous outreach to the women councillors who served as agent of change at grass roots level.
She said that ministry has also decided to included media's services to end violation against women. The minister said that a Pakistani woman enjoyed a respectable name in the comity of nations for they were serving as binding force in the family unit, thus helping healthy development of the whole society.
Secretary Women Development Mehmood Salim Mehmood speaking on the occasion said that such meetings should be arranged in future as well, as he was of the opinion that such forums provide a opportunity to share experiences about women uplift.