Chairperson (SHRC) was the Guest of Honour at the Consultative Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

• April 29, 2024

Chairperson Sindh Human Rights Commission, Iqbal Ahmed Detho was the Guest of Honour at the Consultative Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) +30 Report. This event, co-organized by the Human Rights Department, Government of Sindh, and the Ministry of Human Rights, Government of Pakistan, brought together key stakeholders – government officials and esteemed representatives of civil society organizations. The session, chaired by the Mr. A.D Khowaja, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Human Rights, focused on critically evaluating progress made towards achieving gender equality in Pakistan, guided by the landmark BPFA.

The Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA), adopted in 1995, remains a crucial roadmap for achieving gender equality worldwide. It addresses 12 critical areas, including women's education, health, economic empowerment, and freedom from violence.

Mr. Detho emphasized the importance of accurate data collection and reporting in promoting human rights, particularly for women.

He highlighted Pakistan's obligation as a signatory to seven core UN human rights conventions to report accurately on its progress.

While praising the creation of women-specific positions in Sindh, Mr. Detho urged government departments to report comprehensively on their efforts to achieve gender equality.

The session also featured insights from Ms. Tahseen Fatima, Secretary, Human Rights Department, Government of Sindh. Ms. Fatima stressed the importance of developing long-term and short-term plans specifically focused on improving the lives of women in Sindh. She emphasized the need to not only create these plans but also to systematically report on the outcomes of implemented initiatives.