KARACHI, Sept 20: Sindh Minister for Women Development Saeeda Malik has said that no nation can prosper unless its women are given due importance and opportunity to work in the field of their choice without any discrimination.

She was speaking at a seminar on `Women employment concern in Pakistan’, organised by the Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation in the Sindh Assembly Building on Wednesday.

Dr Saeeda Malik said there was no point in confining women in the four walls of home.

She further said that women in Pakistan needed education, employment opportunities, change in the perception of women's roles and status and public support.

Dr Malik said women living in the rural areas had no say in their social life despite performing bulk of the domestic duties, including work in fields, fetching water, caring and fostering cattle.

Highlighting the step taken by the present government for the welfare of women, she said reformation of discriminatory laws against women was its priority.

“The Tawana Pakistan Scheme, President Development Fund for Rural Women, establishment of National Commission on the status of women and provision of loans under Khushali Bank are a few examples of the government's endeavours,” she added.

Pointing out to the empowerment of women in the political system, she said women had 33 per cent representation at the local government level, while at the national and provincial assembly level their representation was 20 per cent and out of the 1,170 members of the assemblies 233 were women.

Besides, two federal ministers, five ministers of state, six provincial ministers, 10 parliamentary secretaries and 12 chairpersons of standing committees were women, she added.

The minister said the government was fully committed to utilizing the energies of women and as such 5 per cent quota in government jobs had been reserved for women.

She congratulated members of the National Assembly for passing a resolution for the protection of women’s rights.

Dr Malik admitted that despite all the steps, a lot of work was still to be done and priority should be given to the formulation of strong legislative framework ensuring protection of women in every walk of life.

She also lauded the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation regarding maternity protection, occupational health, conditions of work and ending of discrimination against women.

She said that discrimination against women could only be ended through social change, and it was possible through education.—APP