Minister of State Marvi Memon was conferred the Speaker's Democracy Award by Speaker of the House Of Commons John Bercow on Thursday.

The Speaker's Democracy Award is an internationally focused award which aims to celebrate individuals who through their leadership and personal courage have made an outstanding contribution to development of democratic societies, said a statement by the House of Commons.

Memon was nominated by MP Alex Salmond. Nominations for the award poured in from across the world.

The judges appreciated her performance as the chairman of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), responsible for empowering over 5.3 million women by giving them access to unconditional quarterly support stipend.

The panel also admired Memon's services in combating poverty and child nutrition in rural areas.

Her contribution towards gender equality and democratic settlement in Pakistan was also lauded by the judges as BISP encouraged millions of women to obtain national identity cards, thus enabling them to participate in the electoral process.

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...
Energy inflation
Updated 23 May, 2024

Energy inflation

The widening gap between the haves and have-nots is already tearing apart Pakistan’s social fabric.
Culture of violence
23 May, 2024

Culture of violence

WHILE political differences are part of the democratic process, there can be no justification for such disagreements...
Flooding threats
23 May, 2024

Flooding threats

WITH temperatures in GB and KP forecasted to be four to six degrees higher than normal this week, the threat of...