Call to prioritise rural women rights
ISLAMABAD - The participants of the 5th Rural Women Day has demanded that all political parties should prioritise the issue of rural women in coming elections, as neglecting the large population is not in the interest of the country and is also violation of their rights.
Over 1,000 rural women gathered at Lok Virsa on Sunday and Monday to continue their struggle for the rights and recognition of women in Pakistan.
The conference was organised by Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy (PODA) along with 37 partner organisations.
The rural women made a slogan that was chanted all day “ Saada Huqq - Manshoor wich Rakh” meaning “put our rights in the manifestos”. Women have come as far as Hunza-Gojal and Tharparker, from Rajanpur to FATA and from Naseerabad in Balochistan to Bagh in Kashmir.
The conference was attended by women from 85 districts of Pakistan. Sameena Nazir, Executive Director PODA in her opening remarks said that “unless the rural women and girls are safe and prosperous, Pakistan cannot progress. It is the rural women of Pakistan who cultivate life for everyone”, she said.
The rural women showed their anger on the attack on Malala and said that they will continue her struggle for the rights of the girl child and for promotion of education in Pakistan”. The gathering of over 1000 rural women shouted” We are all Malala-Malala is our daughter”.
On the first day of the Conference Zakia Shahnawaz, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab, came especially from Lahore to be with the rural women who came from all parts of Pakistan. She said that problems of rural women are same everywhere in Pakistan so therefore we must be united to work together to overcome the obstacles that restrict rural women. She said we should always think as Pakistanis and work for all Pakistani women. She invited the PODA to organise similar gatherings in Punjab.
Ghazla Gola, Minister of Women Development in Balochistan also spoke. Minister Gola said the democratic government of PPP has always supported the rights of rural women and enacted policies to ensure protection of women. their voice to the matters of the country.
Sitara Ayaz, Minister of Women Development, Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa could not come but she sent a special message that was read at the conference. Kevin Kalleghar, Country representative of FAO, United Nations Agricultural Program in Pakistan. He said that FAO is preparing a special program for rural women farmers of Pakistan where all the resources will be allocated to women farmers support.
On the first day of the conference the rural women made a manifesto of their rights that should be added in the manifestos of all political parties.
On the second day of the conference, the session started with political rights of women: issues, challenges and Opportunities. The session was jointly organised by UN Women, FAO, High of Commission of Canada in Pakistan, Ambassador of Norway in Pakistan and European Union.
Samina Khalid Ghurki, Federal Minister for National Heritage and Integration, emphasised that rural women play a vital role in the economy of Pakistan. She congratulated PODA for bringing all rural women from all over the Pakistan together to set up a platform for them to raise their voice. Rural women should speak up for the issues and their manifesto will be included in their policy.
Rural women presented a manifesto, prepared on October 14th to Dr Nafeesa Shah, Secretary Women Parliamentary Caucus, Senator Rubina Rauf Khalid and Tahira Aurangzeb. In this manifesto, they demanded for their political, social and basic human rights and economic rights.
All rural women came to the conclusion that they will keep struggling for their rights. Rural Women leaders and Rural Women supporters were awarded by PODA and other conference partner organisations.
Source: The Nation