ISLAMABAD, April 02 (DNA): President Dr. Arif Alvi has underlined the  government’s commitment to give women protection and their due place in  society.

Addressing Young Women Leadership Conference in Islamabad today, he said  women require support from the society for growth and opportunities.

He said equal opportunities for women need to be created in all fields  of life.

The President said the women should be encouraged in small and medium  enterprises. He said women’s economic independence is imperative for  their empowerment and emancipation.

He said there is a recognition that the country cannot make progress unless women  work shoulder to shoulder with men.  He said it is the responsibility of state  to provide an enabling environment and  education to the women so that they could positively and effectively  contribute to the society.  He recalled that our women from Fatimah  Jinnah to Malala Yousafzai achieved distinctions in different fields.

He said the vision of Naya Pakistan cannot be achieved without the  contributions of women in diverse fields.

President Arif Alvi said our great religion has given greater respect and rights to women. He said he has also written a letter to the Council  of Islamic Ideology emphasizing that the message of women share in  inheritance as per the Islamic injunctions, child spacing and  conversation of water should also be transmitted from the mosques and by  the religious scholars. DNA