Women are silent frontline of global conflict”- Sherry Rehman

ISLAMABAD, Mar 07 (APP):On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Senator Sherry Rehman stated that “International Women’s Day is an important day of reckoning and stock taking for women and men all over the world. We not only pay tribute to all the women of the world but also to those women living in conflict and catastrophe zones; their suffering goes unmarked year after year.

Their numbers grow in silence mostly. According to UN Women, as of late 2025, a record 676 million women and girls live within 50 kilometers of deadly conflict, representing nearly 17% of the global female population and the highest number since the 1990s. Conflict-related, while the number of women killed in armed conflicts has doubled, with over 123 million people forcibly displaced.”

She further stressed, “Even in the developed world, we see women not making strides that were their due with respect to equal pay and opportunities with men, but also a worrying incline in domestic violence, with 1 out of 3 women having faced it in their lifetime.”

Reflecting on the legacy of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Senator Rehman said her leadership had laid the foundations for transformative progress in women’s empowerment and social protection.

Among her most impactful achievements is the Lady Health Worker Programme, which has transformed healthcare delivery in Pakistan. Recognized by the World Bank as a ‘gold standard’, it has delivered essential healthcare services to millions in remote and underserved communities,” Senator Rehman said.

She noted that the programme not only strengthened public health systems but also created unprecedented opportunities for women’s economic empowerment. “By enabling women to serve as frontline health workers, it opened doors for women to participate meaningfully in the workforce while improving community health outcomes across the country,” she added.

Senator Rehman further stated that under the leadership of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the party continues to advance Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s vision of a progressive and inclusive Pakistan.

“Chairman Bilawal reflects her values by consistently championing the rights of women, the marginalized and minorities. He has stood firmly against extremism and injustice while offering a forward-looking, reform-oriented vision for Pakistan’s future,” she said.

Senator Sherry Rehman called for renewed national commitment to closing Pakistan’s deep gender gaps, stressing that despite women forming nearly half of the country’s population, their contributions remain largely unrecognized in economic and social policy frameworks.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Senator Rehman noted that women constitute approximately 49.2% of Pakistan’s population, yet only 22.7% participate in the mainstream workforce. She emphasized that millions of women remain invisible in economic policies, often working for no wages or half wages, particularly in informal and unpaid sectors.

“From around 72% of women carrying household water, especially in rural areas, to women running the vast undocumented economy of care, women’s contributions remain unrecognized, even as they form the backbone of our society,” Senator Rehman said.

Globally, no country has yet secured the full spectrum of legal rights necessary for women’s equal economic participation. But for Pakistan, the findings are more than a global snapshot; they are an urgent domestic warning.

While economies worldwide score an average of 67 out of 100 for gender-equal laws on the books, Pakistan’s legal frameworks score stands at just 46.68. The global average drops from 67 to 53 when enforcement is assessed.

Pakistan’s enforcement perceptions score is a troubling 27.35, barely half the global benchmark. Even its supportive frameworks score of 50.68, slightly above the global average of 47, reflects limited institutional backing rather than meaningful transformation.

Drawing attention to the alarming gaps in education and health, she added that out of the 26 million children out of school in Pakistan, around 13 million are girls, reflecting persistent structural barriers that prevent girls from accessing education. “These numbers represent lost potential for the country’s development and prosperity,” she said.

Calling for stronger policy action, Senator Rehman emphasized that gender equality must move beyond rhetoric to concrete reforms in education, health, economic participation, and protection from violence.

“International Women’s Day is not only a moment of recognition but a reminder that societies cannot progress when half their population remains excluded from opportunity, safety and decision-making,” she said. “Empowering women is not just a moral imperative; it is essential for Pakistan’s sustainable development, economic resilience and democratic future.”