INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day recognises social, economic and political achievements of women and highlights the importance of providing equal rights to them.

Thousands of global events occur each year, but ongoing human rights violation provides us with a glimpse that we have not yet woken up from slumber.

Pakistan is a signatory to many international documents and has passed several national bills, particularly the National Women Rights Bill 2012 and Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010, yet our society is in a state of denial. Although passing laws and initiating many landmark programmes by NGOs and the government to provide rights to women under the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Employment Scheme is an appreciable step, yet the need of time is to educate our society to respect and value women. Unless we change the mindset of people, bills and documents are of no worth.

It was the vision of Benazir Bhutto and all the people of Pakistan to provide rights to every woman. I would like to request the Chief Justice of Pakistan to provide equal justice to all women by visiting prisons and releasing all those women who were not guilty, yet trapped. At the same time, it is the responsibility of all educational institutions and the media to promote mass awareness campaign to promote respect for women.

MUNIR MOOSA SEWANI Karachi