Islamabad, October 23, 2024: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), in collaboration with Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) conducted an advocacy session on gender-inclusive initiatives under the Prime Minister’s Women Empowerment Package 2024 (PMWEP 24) to enhance awareness of gender-related issues. Mr. Akif Saeed, Chairman of SECP, discussed the SECP’s initiatives aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs. He stressed the importance of collaboration among all relevant stakeholders for PM WEP 2024. He stated, “By uniting to advocate for gender-inclusive reforms, we not only empower women but also enhance economic prosperity for Pakistan.” He also stressed that enacting supportive laws must go hand in hand with their effective implementation to achieve meaningful progress and urged all companies to complete the PMWEP 24 survey on SECP website. Ms. Musarat Jabeen, Executive Director SECP, discussed in detail the progress made in women inclusive regulatory reforms and outlined key initiatives under PMWEP 24 by SECP, which include mandating listed companies to disclose their gender pay gaps in annual reports effective from June 30, 2024 and recognizing private companies that adopt family-friendly policies. She also updated participants on the ongoing initiative to provide gender-related data and success stories through the online portal ‘ESG Sustain’, as well as the efforts to develop a cohesive gender policy for regulated sectors. Ms. Lubna Mansoor, Regional Director of Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) highlighted the fact the under representation of women in workforce in Pakistan. Ms. Qurrat-ul-ain and Mr. Zaki Aijaz, VPs of FPCCI appreciated SECP for its role and partnership in raising awareness of gender reforms. The Prime Minister’s Women Empowerment Package 2024, initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is a significant step towards safeguarding the rights of women in Pakistan. It provides protection and economic opportunities to women, who constitute half of Pakistani society and play diverse and essential roles within their families and communities.
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