World Parliaments should work for peace, prosperity: Pak speaker

Islamabad, Apr 18 (UNI) Pakistan National Assembly speaker Fehmida Mirza has urged the world Parliaments to work in close cooperation for promoting peace and prosperity, eliminate poverty, gender discrimination and explosion from the world.

Speaking at the 118th Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union in Cape Town, South Africa yesterday, she said the Parliaments have an important role to ensure equality and human dignity at national and international level.

''We must encourage and facilitate ratification of International conventions on human rights, promote gender mainstreaming and ensure protection of minorities and disadvantaged groups.'' Globalisation offered great opportunities but its benefits were unevenly shared, she said, adding this injustice must be addressed for the benefit of development and good governance for promoting worldwide economic and social development.

Ms Mirza said the world was concerned and vulnerable to the threat of terrorism targeting innocent civilians. There was a need to put up a united front evolving a comprehensive strategy, to address the root causes of terrorism, which included redressal of political and economic injustices against nation and people in many parts of the world.

There was a need to reform the UN to get better results and peaceful resolution of disputes in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, the Associated Press of Pakistan quoted her as saying.

She also urged the IPU Parliaments to ensure women empowerment and gender equality in their respective countries.

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