Event Title: Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri And Senator Anusha Rahman At The 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 2025, Un Headquarters New York, Hosted By The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Event Date: 2025-09-24

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Chairperson of the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, along with Senator Anusha Rahman, represented Pakistan at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 2025, held at the UN Headquarters in New York on 24th September 2025. The session, hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), gathered parliamentarians from across the globe to deliberate on equality, empowerment, and sustainable development.

Speaking at the forum, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri highlighted Pakistan’s progress on women’s participation in governance, noting, “In Pakistan, women’s representation in parliament has doubled since 1995, yet like many other nations we still face gaps between persons and power.” She emphasized that genuine equality requires not only political representation but also structural reforms that translate into meaningful empowerment.

She also drew attention to the role of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus in Pakistan as a platform that strengthens collective advocacy, fosters bipartisan collaboration, and amplifies the voices of women legislators in advancing inclusive policies.

The Senator called for mental health to be recognized as an integral part of women’s empowerment, pointing out that stigma, limited access to care, and lack of awareness remain barriers that must be addressed. She urged global collaboration to ensure holistic well-being for women.

Reaffirming the transformative role of women’s leadership, Senator Zehri stated, “When women lead, peace agreements last longer and societies become stronger.” She stressed that lasting change cannot be achieved in isolation, adding, “Change is sustainable only when it is inclusive.”

Underscoring the role of men in advancing gender equality, Senator Zehri noted that men must incorporate women into every sphere of decision-making and development to build balanced and resilient societies. She further highlighted that Pakistan has taken legislative and policy steps to promote gender equality, but continuous efforts and international partnerships remain vital.

She concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to working with global partners to promote women’s rights, strengthen mental health support, and create inclusive systems that uphold dignity, justice, and equal opportunity for all.