KARACHI - On the eve of International Women’s Day, Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has announced that his party’s Women Wing will organise Karwan-e-Benazir rallies in all the provincial capitals and in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Fata to celebrate the day and PPP’s achievements for empowerment of women in the country.

In his message on the Day, the PPP chairman said that the commitment and conviction of the party for gender equality and women empowerment have been fully reflective in the steps taken so far. From first woman Prime Minister in the Muslim world to Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Foreign Minister, the women have always been leading from the front in the PPP, he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari further pointed out that PPP started a grand poverty-alleviation programme Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) which was acclaimed and appreciated by the World Bank and other international organizations. Shaheed Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto herself established The First Women Bank and Women Police Stations and started Lady Health Workers Programme.

PPP government allotted lands to landless women peasants and initiated Union Council-based Poverty alleviation programme, which has benefitted 600,000 women and their families so far in Sindh, he stated.

Describing PPP performance in pro-women legislation as unmatched, Bilawal said that PPP government passed laws and acts for establishment of National Commission on the Status of Women, Anti-Women Practices Act, Anti-Acid Crimes Law, Protection of Women at Workplace Law at the Federal level. Sindh Assembly led by PPP also adopted Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act 2013, Domestic Violence (Protection & Prevention) Act 2015 and Commission on the Status of Women 2015. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that besides protection and promotion of women in political and social fields, the PPP plans to take more steps for economic empowerment of the women including registration of women farmers for their easy access to credit and inputs. Projects for Credit facilities to ladies through Microfinance and small and medium enterprises loans shall also be launched when PPP comes into power again, he added.

He said that in fact it was only PPP which has always empowered women whenever it came into power and pledged that he would continue the struggle of his mother Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to achieve her dreams of equality for women in every sphere of life.

Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed the party parliamentarian and office-bearers at every level to work hard for registration of women voters within the stipulated time.

According to the directives issued by the Chairman PPP, the Parliamentarians, office-bearers and workers of the Party have been directed to ensure the registration of women voters so that they utilise their right to franchise in the next general elect.

He said that Party office-bearers may form committees at District and Tehsil levels to help women to register themselves on the electoral rolls. The PPP chairman expressed concern over the rising gap between male and female voters from 10.97 million in 2013 to 12.17 million in September last year when male registered voters were 54.60 million and female 42.42 million.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that documenting the unregistered women voters was necessary to involve them in the process for further empowerment and ensuring their rights.