Islamabad – March 8, 2025
The 23rd National Women’s Rights Conference, organized by Dr. Khalid Aftab Sulehria, President of the International Human Rights Observer (IHRO)—a globally recognized NGO with special consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council—convened at the National Library of Pakistan in honor of International Women’s Day 2025. This landmark gathering united key figures from government, academia, international agencies, NGOs, political entities, and grassroots movements to forge a decisive path toward gender equality in Pakistan. As the saying goes, “When women thrive, societies flourish.”
Endorsing Global Gender Equality
The conference officially recognized March 8, 2025, as Women’s Day in Pakistan and reaffirmed commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda 2030 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Aligning with the UN theme for International Women’s Day—“For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”—the gathering resonated with the powerful words of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah: “No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.”
Condemning the Deteriorating State of Women’s Rights
Participants voiced grave concerns over the worsening state of women’s rights in Pakistan, denouncing it as a major impediment to human rights, peace, democracy, and institutional stability. As history has shown, “The strength of a nation is measured by the well-being of its women.”
Marking 30 Years Since the Beijing Declaration
With 2025 marking three decades since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the conference called for a renewed commitment to dismantling systemic barriers hindering women’s progress. Echoing the words of Benjamin Franklin, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”
Unwavering Fight for Women’s Rights
Delegates pledged to combat gender-based violence, limited educational access, economic disparity, legal restrictions, child marriage, healthcare inequities, and political underrepresentation. While progress has been made, deep-seated socio-cultural and institutional obstacles persist. The rallying cry was clear: “A woman’s place is in the revolution.”
Demanding Stronger Legal Mechanisms
The conference urged the Pakistani government to reinforce legal protections for women, emphasizing the role of institutions like the Ministry of Human Rights, the National Commission on Human Rights, and the National Commission on the Status of Women in ensuring the robust enforcement of existing laws. The message was resolute: “Laws alone cannot make a nation great, but their fair enforcement can.”
Advocating for Civil-Military Synergy
Recognizing the intersection of governance and security, the conference stressed the need for stronger civil-military collaboration to foster a stable democracy, economic progress, and a culture that upholds human rights. As the saying goes, “A strong society is one where women walk without fear.”
Accelerating SDG Implementation
The conference called for comprehensive policies and accountability mechanisms spanning government, the private sector, and civil society to fast-track the achievement of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The guiding principle: “Sustainable development is impossible without gender equality.”
Highlighting Atrocities in Indian-Occupied Kashmir
A powerful resolution condemned the systematic human rights violations against women in Indian-occupied Kashmir. The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A by India on August 5, 2019, was denounced as a direct assault on Kashmiri women's social, cultural, economic, and political freedoms. The conference demanded the immediate release of all women prisoners detained for their political and religious beliefs. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
While acknowledging existing efforts, the conference demanded stronger legislative action, better policy development, stricter enforcement of international conventions, increased resource allocation, and improved accountability mechanisms to achieve true gender equality and women's empowerment in Pakistan. “Empower a woman, empower a nation.”
Launching the ‘Women Rights Federation of Pakistan’
To amplify the voices of women’s rights defenders, human rights organizations, and civil society, the conference proposed the establishment of the Women Rights Federation of Pakistan—a coalition dedicated to advancing gender equality at all levels. “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”
Consistently, in recognition of unwavering dedication, women from diverse fields in Pakistan and abroad were awarded certificates of appreciation. Those who had served for a year were honored with shields, including brave individuals working tirelessly to rehabilitate women in Pakistan. Additionally, men who stood in solidarity with women, advocating for their rights and survival, were also acknowledged with appreciation shields. As an age-old truth reminds us, “A society that honors its women is a society that prospers.”
However, the 23rd National Women’s Rights Conference sent a resounding message: “The time for half-measures is over.” The battle for women’s rights is far from won, but with collective resolve, the chains of inequality can and must be broken. As Malala Yousafzai aptly put it, “We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.”