Testimonies


I. A. Rehman, Secretary-General,
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

The UN Human Rights Council Resolution 11/8 – Preventable Maternal Mortality and Morbidity and Human Rights – has a special relevance to Pakistan in view of its high maternal morbidity rate. The government of Pakistan duly recognized this fact when it adopted the resolution on June 17, 2009. A year down the road the
urgency of taking definite and adequate steps to realize the Millennium Development Goal 5 has become more evident than ever. It is also necessary to realize that women have a basic right to protection against maternal mortality and morbidity. Besides, failure to realize MDG 5 will jeopardize Pakistan’s efforts to realize the other MDGs, especially those relating to promotion of gender equality and empowering women, and reducing child and infant mortality (MDGs 3 and 4). What is at stake is the health of the Pakistan nation and its future.


 

Simi Raheal ,
Television Artist

All humanity has a right to life regardless of class color or creed. Mothers need to be recognized as life givers and hence their right to life is primary! It is no up to organizations and governments to give mothers a right to life it is for mothers to recognize this right. No one can take away what God has given only we can give it away!


 

Ghazi Salahuddin, Vice-Chairperson
HRCP (Sindh Chapter)

We, in the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, devote specific attention to the rights of women and children because they belong to the disadvantaged segments of our society. Hence, we share the concerns of the World Population Council. The United Nations Human Rights Council has preserved the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its assertion that
“mother and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance” by declaring maternal health as a human rights issue. We endorse our government’s adoption of this resolution. However, it is sad that this adoption has not resulted in meaningful, concrete action.


 

Ms. Yasmeen Rehman,
Advisor to Minsitry of Women Development


I support this resolution as it is the very basic human right of all the mothers.


 

Muhammad Khalid Masud, Former Chairman,
Council of Islamic Ideology

There may be several explanations for the high maternal mortality in Pakistan, ranging from illiteracy, poverty, indifference to family planning and reproductive health complications, but nothing justifies a complacent attitude toward the present situation in which the most basic right of human life is endangered. Islam
recognizes protection of human life as the foremost basic right. Muslim jurists insist on family planning if mother's health is in danger. Some of them even allow abortion in case of imminent danger to the life of the mother. Since maternal mortality is preventable there is no justification for ignoring this basic maternal right. Constitution of Pakistan guarantees all the basic rights and has rightly endorsed the UN resolution about preventing maternal mortality. The civil society, legislators and opinion makers must now help the government of Pakistan to cultivate the necessary political will to put this resolve into action: required legislation, public awareness and provision of funds and equipment to hospitals.