Congressional Delegation Meets with Senior Government Leaders about Women’s Empowerment

Islamabad, May 14, 2014 – A U.S. Congressional delegation led by Martha Roby, U.S. Representative from Alabama and Member of the House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee, visited Pakistan May 12 – 14.

Other members of the delegation were Susan Davis, U.S. Representative from California and Member of the House Armed Services Committee; Cheri Bustos, U.S. Representative from Illinois and Member of the House Agriculture and Transportation Committees; and Renee Ellmers, U.S. Representative from North Carolina and Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The delegation met with Secretary of Defense Lt Gen (retd.) Asif Yasin Malik, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, and women parliamentarians to discuss a range of topics including women in the military, gender-based violence, and gender equality. The delegation reaffirmed the U.S. government’s desire to work closely with the Government of Pakistan to improve women’s rights and eliminate violence towards women.