WEF's gender gap report is based on wrong data: Mazari

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari Friday said the recent Global Gender Gap Report of World Economic Forum (WEF) about Pakistan was based on the wrong data and distorted facts about the status of women in the country.

Speaking during the Question Hour in the National Assembly, she said it was true that Pakistan had a problem of gender disparity but the figures quoted in the report were incorrect.

The person in Pakistan who was providing data to WEF sent wrong figures to them and distorted on the ground situation, she added.

Talks were continuing with WEF to set the record straight, she said adding in the report it was wrongly told that in the previous government there was no female minister, whereas three ministers were part of the federal cabinet.

She said the government had started a campaign to create awareness on the rights of women.

She said women who were facing difficulty in getting their inherited property would be given pro bono assistance in every district and lawyers would be available to help them.

The minister informed that the government would introduce legislation in the Parliament to facilitate persons who were differently abled. The government could also enforce the availability of ramps in buildings for special people if required legislation was passed.

The minister said on the direction of State Bank, most of the banks had made the Automated Teller Machines friendly for visually impaired people. The government was in the process of getting data from provinces on children in armed conflict and human trafficking, she added.

She underlined the need for ringing alarm bells and raising awareness about reports of 75 percent increase in use of drugs in private schools and universities.

The minister said the issue of use of drugs was discussed in the cabinet, adding drug testing of students should be made mandatory and necessary legislation should be enacted for it.

MNA Nafeesa Khattak remarked that collaboration was needed to tackle the issue which was very serious.