ISLAMABAD: First Lady Begum Samina Alvi has said that education is the key to unlocking the full potential of women and girls as investing in their education and enhancing their knowledge and skills would help create a fairer and more prosperous society for all.
“Education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about empowering individuals to become agents of change in their communities and beyond,” she said while speaking at an International Women’s Day event.
She emphasized that she will commit to striving for equality between women and men in all areas of life, including technology and innovation. “Together we can create a future where women have equal access to opportunity and can fully contribute to society.”
According to her, the proportion of women in Pakistan is currently close to 50 percent, but the country still has a long way to go in terms of their inclusion and empowerment.
“According to the Global Gender Gap Index-2023, Pakistan ranks 142 out of 146 countries. This presents a very dismal situation due to low economic participation, educational attainment, access to health services, and labor force participation. These challenges are not just obstacles, they are injustices, which must be addressed with urgency and decisiveness,” she noted.
She emphasized that as a member state of the United Nations, Pakistan fully supported the United Nations Charter, which seeks to promote and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without any gender discrimination. The Constitution of Pakistan also ensures fundamental rights and provides adequate guarantees to women against all forms of discrimination, exploitation and marginalization, besides the right to equality, growth, and leading a healthy and prosperous life, she said.
Samina Alvi also emphasized the education of girls so that the women of the country are strong enough to face the challenges of life with the strength of their minds. Apart from this, she also emphasized the need to continuously strive to equip our women with vocational skills to realize their potential and also save them from economic exploitation.
Using digital platforms, she said, women could overcome many of the obstacles they may face in the traditional job search. “We need to work to increase access to digital resources, provide technology education and training, and build a supportive environment that allows women to excel in technology-related fields,” she said, adding that this includes initiatives such as mentoring programs, scholarships and providing digital technology. “This in turn will promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in Pakistan by providing an enabling environment for women to enter the workforce and contribute to national development,” she added.
Samina Alvi highlighted her key area of focus on breast cancer awareness and said she has been advocating for better access to screening and treatment services for women across Pakistan. “Breast cancer isn’t just a health issue, it’s a social justice issue. Every woman, regardless.”
socio-economic status deserves the right to quality health care and the opportunity to live a healthy life.”
Similarly, she stated that she is deeply committed to promoting inclusiveness and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Previous panelists Dr. Sania Nishtar, Azima Dhanjee and Dr. Maha Noor Khan discussed in detail the role of women in a progressive society.
