LAHORE  -  Punjab Women Develop­ment Department (WDD) Secretary Sumaira Samad has said that there was need to break away with the pa­triarchal mindset and treat women equally in order to ensure balance in society.

Outlining the initiatives during the 16 days of activ­ism to combat gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls at her of­fice here on Tuesday, she said male-dominated social structures were the cause behind the rampant exploi­tation and violence against women in our society and it was collective responsibility to stand against discrimina­tion on gender lines.

She said women were a victim of different forms of violence in almost all sec­tors of society whether it be workplace harassment, domestic violence, physical abuse, psychological abuse, forced marriage, rape, gen­der-based discrimination or economic abuse, adding that the WDD closely moni­tors the status of women in all provincial departments and submits its recommen­dation to the government for rectification through legislation.

The senior bureaucrat, to a query, regretted the fact that social media platforms and some mainstream me­dia outlets encouraged pseudo scholars who pro­moted vain gender-based views lacking fluidity, add­ing that there was need to promote gender parity for a balanced and prosperous society. ‘Women make up half of the world and a soci­ety can not move forward if they are persecuted and ex­ploited,’ she remarked.