ISLAMABAD (Staff Reporter)
Pakistan’s First Lady, Mrs. Asifa Bhutto Zardari, participated in the third edition of the “Princess Sabiha bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Awards” for women’s empowerment, held at the Qatar National Convention Center. The event was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Supreme Council for Women of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Addressing the ceremony, the First Lady praised the vision of the awards and lauded Bahrain’s leadership in promoting women’s rights. She also honored the contributions of Pakistan’s iconic women leaders, including Mother of the Nation Fatima Jinnah and the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, emphasizing Pakistan’s pride in women’s leadership.
Mrs. Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s focused efforts on advancing girls’ education, skill development, economic inclusion, and digital empowerment. She reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to implementing international frameworks, including conventions against discrimination, the Beijing Declaration, and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda.
During the event, the First Lady held meetings with senior officials, including Mrs. Lulwa Al Awadhi, Secretary-General of Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Women, Maidh Dureid, Regional Director for Arab States at UN Women, and Nora Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union of the UAE. The discussions focused on strengthening regional cooperation, institutional partnerships, and expanding opportunities for women’s economic and political participation.
Mrs. Zardari concluded by emphasizing that Pakistan will continue to collaborate with global partners to advance women’s development and empowerment.