Mother Teresa Award - Salman Sufi honored for his dedication and hard work to empower women
Sufi is known and internationally appreciated for his advocay and pro-women initiatives.
(Webdesk) – The stringent measures taken by the former government of Punjab to end the violence against women help Pakistan to secure a better position in many rankings keeping record for the actions and dealings to improve the status of women especially in right-torn societies among developing countries.
Salman Sufi shared the picture on his twitter account. Photo: Salman Sufi Twitter
According to a Reuter’s 2017-18 survey, Pakistan showed an improvement due to more women in public office, an active civil society and tougher action against sexual violence.
Pakistan, stands at 143rd position among 144 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index 2017 developed by the World Economic Forum.
Similarly according to the Gender Inequality Index report released by UNDP in 2016, Pakistan ranks at 121st place in a list of 155 assessed countries.
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Former director general of Punjab’s Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU) Salman Sufi played the most significant role in achieving these high-aim targets.
To recognise his hard work and dedication, Sufi is being honored with the prestigious award – The Mother Teresa Award. This award is a "platform for felicitating people who relentlessly seek peace and encourage everyone to lend a helping hand to those in need."
Sufi is known and internationally appreciated for his advocay for women rights and public policy development particularly for his pro-women strategies implemented in Punjab that brought pleasant change in elating the status of women in province.
The measures include the legislation of protection of women law to combat violence against women, WOW – Women on wheel initiative to relieve women from the hassle of transportation, establishment of Violence Against Women Center (VAWC) – a one window operation centre where the victims are given the assistance under one roof.
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He also led the SRU to draft and include chapters on gender sensitisation in Pakistan Studies textbooks for classes IX to XII, among several other initiatives.
Sufi took to the twitter to share the bliss of achievement with his followers
— Salman Sufi (@SalmanSufi7) October 7, 2018
In the same thread, he thanked the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif for giving him the opportunity to spearhead the pro-women initiatives and made them a success.
— Salman Sufi (@SalmanSufi7) October 7, 2018
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The award will be conferred in Mumbai India on October 21st, 2018. It is the only award in the name of Mother Teresa recognized by the Missionaries of Charity. Sufi joins Dalai Lama, Malala Yousufzai, Priyanka Chopra, Mahathir Mohammed, Bilquis Edhi, Neerja Bhanot, Abdullah bin Zayed bin Nahyan, who have previously received this award for their services to promote peace, harmony and social justice around the world.
As per the details garnered, other nominees of the award include some notable and prominentpersonalities from across the world such as Shirin Ebadi (Nobel Laureate 2003), Tawakkol Karman (Nobel Laureate 2011), Rula Ghani (First Lady of Afghanistan), Yeonmi Park (North Korean refugee), Oby Ezekwesili (founder-Bring Back Our Girls), Nadia Murad (Nobel Laureate, Yazidi Refugee & UN Goodwill Ambassador for the dignity of survivors of human trafficking), and Dr Nashwa Al-Ruwaini (CEO & Founder- Pyramedia).
After taking charge of the office, the incumbent government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has halted the SRU’s initiatives taken in former PMLN led government due to PTI’s government’s complain of lack of finances. After the DG’s dismissal, the four-member team of the SRU has been left directionless and uncertain if their initiatives will see light of the day.
Though Sufi says he is ready to volunteer his services once again if the present government of PTI decides to continue with the projects started by the SMU and SRU.
In his lastest tweet, he said to ensure the initiatives started with such work hard, vision and finace would not go into the vain.
— Salman Sufi (@SalmanSufi7) October 7, 2018
Last year, Salman Sufi was also bestowed with the prestigious Voices of Solidarity Award 2017, presented by the Vital Voices Global Partnership, an organisation working under the chairmanship of Hillary Clinton. The award brought him among the top 05 men who worked for uplifting the status of women across the world. The list of men Sufi has joined includes prominent personalities such as former US Vice President Joe Biden, UN Secretary General Antonio Gueterris and some others
