Pakistan’s Rubab Mehdi Represents Nation at Global Women’s Rights Symposium in China
By M.Ilyas Mullakhel
Islamabad – Pakistan marked a significant milestone on the international stage as Her Excellency Ms.Rubab Mehdi, Provincial Ombudsperson (Khatoon Mohtasib) for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, delivered the country’s sole official address at the International Symposium on Judicial Concepts and Practices for Women’s Rights Protection, held in Chengdu, China.
The high level symposium organized by the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China in partnership with UN Women, and convened to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+30), brought together senior judges, legal experts, and justice-sector leaders from countries including China, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Representing Pakistan on a diverse panel of global delegates, Ms.Mehdi delivered a keynote address titled, Profession and Trauma Informed Care for Judicial Practitioners Involved in VAWG Cases.She underlined Pakistan’s constitutional guarantees of equality, its obligations under CEDAW (1996), its early commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action (1995), and its alignment with SDGs 5, 11, 16, and 17.She also emphasized Pakistan’s evolving legal landscape, citing major reforms such as the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021, the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act 2020, and enhanced cyber-harassment safeguards under PECA.
A key highlight of her presentation was the strong performance of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ombudsperson Secretariat, which she described as a national success model for women’s protection mechanisms. Between July and October 2025, the Secretariat registered 2,780 cases, resolved 1,156 of them, achieved a 97% resolution rate, formed 552 inquiry committees, reduced its backlog from more than 2,500 cases to under 500, and conducted 70/80 hearings daily, including in merged districts through hybrid systems.
These achievements drew widespread international appreciation, with delegations from China, Europe, and North America praising the scientific rigor, research depth, and trauma informed approach reflected in Ms.Mehdi’s recommendations.Several expressed interest in forging future partnerships inspired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s demonstrated progress.
Ms.Mehdi also outlined Pakistan’s active engagement with the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) and announced a forthcoming initiative aimed at supporting over 110 Ombudsman institutions worldwide through training programs on CEDAW implementation, treaty compliance, gender-responsive complaint handling, and survivor centered administrative justice. The initiative positions Pakistan as an emerging contributor to global gender justice systems.
Concluding her address, Ms. Mehdi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to advancing the Beijing+30 agenda and to strengthening judicial practices centered on dignity, transparency, trauma informed care, and survivor empowerment.Her participation as Pakistan’s exclusive voice at this distinguished forum stands as a historic moment, enhancing both Pakistan’s and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s visibility and leadership in global women’s rights discourse.
