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March 10, 2008
Pakistani Communities Celebrate Women's Day

Communities from around Pakistan have sent reports of events and resolutions marking Women's Day.

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Like other parts of the country  International Women Day was also celebrated by Shundor women Forum (SWF) in collaboration with Aga Khan Social Welfare Board (AKSWB) Chitral at Booni some 85 KM from here. The program was started with the recitation from the Holy Quran. Miss Farzad Bibi Education officer was chief guest on the occasion while Mrs. Mehrab presided over the ceremony besides them Mrs. Noshaba an Educationist was also setting on the daises.

Miss Fatma Taj performed as stage secretary. Maqsooda Bibi presented Hamd Sharif while Shamim Akhtar read Naath Sharif. Mrs. Noshaba Chair Person of SWF highlighted importance of this day. And stressed upon women folk especially on mothers to treat their daughters equally as comparative to their sons. 

She also highlighted aim and objectives of their women forum which working for development of women of the area.

Miss Amreen Ghazala delivered speech on women role in development of the country and lamented mothers for discriminating their daughters for no interest in them at early childhood while they patronizing their sons. She said those children became robbers, addict who are ignoring by their mothers in childhood. Meher Amroz a lady health worker, Miss Farzana, Mrs. Yasmin Gul, Miss Nargus, , Miss Farzana SET, Mrs. Mehrin Nisa Principal Govt. Girls high school Warijun, Miss Rehana etc spoke on the occasion and highlighted women role in Islam. Beside male participants Saslamat Khan social welfare officer of AKSWB and Rahmat Nabi of Nani  Early child development institution also participated the function. 

Meanwhile an other function in memorandum of international women day was held at Drosh by Drosh women forum in collaboration with Legal Aid Forum for Human Rights financially supported by TROCAIRE. The women folk delivered speeches on women role in uplift of the area and building of society.  They highly appreciated women role in development of the country and caring of their children. Besides other Niaz Ali Shah General Secretary LAFH also attended the ceremony.

G.H. Farooqi reports from Chitral

 

A “Working Women Assembly” was organized at Press Club Hyderabad on March 7, 2008. Among the participants were peasants, agriculture workers, kiln workers, stone crackers, domestic workers, factory workers, bangle workers, sex workers, health workers, councilors, academicians, advocates, nurses, doctors, journalists, social workers, police women, officials, parliamentarians, political leaders and those who earn for their families.

More than 250 women from different districts of Sindh participated in the Assembly. The program was like an assembly in true sense where every participants was regarded as a member of the assembly and her profession was assumed her constituency. A speaker panel (Mrs. Nazir Qureshi from Sindhiyani Tehreek acted as speaker, Parveen Soomro of GRDO acted as deputy speaker, Shabana Khan from PPP acted as leader of treasury benches and Nasreen Shakeel Pathan acted as leader of opposition) run the assembly and gave ruling at the end of the assembly. Dr. G. Hyder, Director of GRDO, described the aims and objective of the assembly. The ruling in the form of charter of demands will be handed over to parliamentarians for consideration in political parties and to be discussed at the floor of national and provincial assemblies for legislation.

During and after the Assembly Green Theatre Group performed theatres and tablos on bonded labor and on honor killing.

Resolutions:

â–º Participants of this assembly who belong to different caste, creed, class, religion, race and profession unanimously agree that they are part of the international Movement for women rights.

â–º Government must take strong initiatives to minimize the unemployment.

â–º Government should announce 8th March as “Women Holiday” as women may celebrate this freely to get their voice heard.

â–º Assembly understands the importance of recent elections as a success of people of Pakistan over non-democratic powers and aspires from the sacrifice of a women leader as beacon of democracy and demands impartial enquiry of her death and corporal punishment be given to assassinators and master minds behind the killing.

â–º We demand the restoration of judiciary and demands for the freedom of women and children of the judges under illegal confinement of law enforcing agencies.

â–º Equal employment opportunities and wages be given to women.

â–º Women and children are the most victimized of bonded labor so government must take serious actions to abolish bonded labor from Pakistan.

â–º We demand for recovery of the family members of Manu Bheel under illegal confinement of a landlord.

â–º We express our solidarity with all those whose dear ones were picked up by law enforcing agencies and are missing. We demand their earliest recovery and if they there are allegations on them then they must be produced before the court of law.

â–º This Assembly condemn the sexual, physical and mental torture women are victimized of and demand from the government to give punishment to the culprits.

â–º As International Women Day/week is being celebrated all over the world to honor women’s dignity and rights but the so-called champion of human rights and democracy (U.S.A government) is busy in making hell the lands of Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other parts of the world. We demand from the U.S.A government to stop immediately its destructive activities and quit from the said areas of the world.

Bisharat Ali with GRDO reports from Hyderabad, Sindh

Posted by collective at March 10, 2008 10:04 AM
Comments

It is always easy to do self projection then to be correct.We cellebrate Valentines like no other day, then we cellebrate Halloweens ..what next Mardegra?
Womens day...Tell me what concrete steps have been taken in the last five years to promote women of Pakistan and what are the facts and the figures. We celebrete this day like any other by Mrs XYZ giving long long lectures. We dress up in a designer wear, wear dimonds and propose ideas, as for the results.....none. Figures are what i am actually interested in seeing. Today , an average Pakistani is devided to the ones who have and the "Have nots". As for those who have, are either ones to have a very thick skinned that the poverty and inflation is not affecting them , or just social climbers who will do anything to be in Page 3 of a news paper or have their photographs in magazines. Its time the citizins of this country move their butt and start working. That will be the only way we are going to progress.

Posted by: Faisal Mamsa,M.D on March 18, 2008 11:02 AM

Dear Sir/Madam,


Pakistani Women at crossroads?

Everyone has the right to live with, liberty and security of the person. Woman is entitled to equal rights as citizen of Pakistan and live in a family, which is the natural and fundamental unit of society and is entitled to be protected by society and state. The women power in Pakistan is nearly 52% of the population, but while considering the status of 'women' in Pakistan, our women still look like to be living in the dark ages. Their right for acquiring education and economic freedom is not encourage; it is a matter of deep distress that being Muslims we have completely forgotten the status of women given by Islam, as per teaching of our beloved prophet, Mohammad (P.B.U.H) that women are dignified, respected and secure in Islam than in other faith. Women are more protected by Islam then by the faith and society which preaches monogamy. Islam was the first religion to recognize the equality of sexes and granted women all rights, 1400 years ago, in those early days of Islam.

But since the creation of Pakistan the rights of women were ignored just as similarly as the rights of Pakistani to rule this country and decide the fate of their own future. After the independence of Pakistan the socio-political system does not change, little or no reform were carried out and therefore the status quo of the society remain the same as it was before. The feudal remain in power as they were before, under the rule of British Empire and even before them.

The survival of the feudal system remains in brutality, ignorance, illiteracy and poverty’s it is the system to be blame for humiliation, exploitation and cruelty with women’s. The right of women cannot be protected till we provide ample opportunity to women for uplift, such as education with skill development and an opportunity to utilize that kill to enhance economic activities such as their participation in the production and services in the country.

We must feel proud in developing and implementing our values and stop looking at the west as passage/light for women’s right, women is most exploited in the west, in the name of democracy and equal rights, the freedom allowed in the west is not for the protection of women from exploitation and maintain the dignity. Even in these modern world women is being humiliated in socio-economic and cultural front by the dominant man power. Everybody is talking about the women’s right with special reference to job, education and equal opportunity in the society with dignity and respect. But, Women’s are being exploited even since the commencement of modern society. At work place in the factory, in search of job and better chances to avail for better income and prosperous life, even in the offices women are exploited by the influential people, one way or the other.

The most exploited women’s are from working class due to economic problems, middle class in order to maintain fake standard of living and the upper class for the sake of enjoyment of life and for getting rid off frustration in their social domestic life.
It is true that women in Pakistan have never been disassociated with the struggle for democracy. However, the women's gained more maturity in its understanding of national issues because of this interaction and participation in the movement for democracy, women have been engaged in the debate on insecurity and instability and its links to critical domestic condition.
Pakistan is an Islamic state, where people, not only take pride in strictly adhering to the Islamic values but are ready to sacrifice their loved belongings for the glory and sanctity of Islam. Islam has accorded a highly respected social position to women. Islam acknowledges the rights and privileges of the women in society. Likewise, Islam does not impose any restrictions that may hamper the social growth and development of the woman within the framework of Islamic society. A woman is equally important member of society. The woman plays a vital role in building the society on healthier and stronger foundations.

The women in Pakistan have been constantly complaining of having being isolated from the mainstream of society. Women feel disillusioned on being maltreated by the male-oriented set up in Pakistan. They strongly claim that if they are given a chance, they can contribute more positively towards the development of all social aspects. Pakistani women are at crossroad and need a serious concentration on the route cause of exploitation of women’s right; the reason, the route cause is the prevailing system in the country which is needed to be changed. The current democracy and the representation of women within the assembly does not represent common Pakistani women, they are part and partial of rich and feudal families.
Therefore, Islamic Democratic Party has decided to give back dignity and respect to the women, but that dignity and respect cannot be achieved without the change of socio-political system in the country. However, to give back honor and dignity to the women, we are suggesting to the women of Pakistan;

• Education and Technical knowledge to be provided to every capable woman in separate and safe environment.
• After enhancement of knowledge and skill, provide safe and separate environment for women to work and join national production force.
• A guarantee for job opportunity should be provided to every woman wanted to work in safe and separate environment.
• When, 52% women power will join production and services sector, national gross production /services will increase and so the increase in revenue.
• Working women will earn for the family and bring happiness to the family and so the self satisfaction, dignity and respect within the family will increase.
• A separate working environment reduces the objection from the male member of the family.
• An educated mother can train new generation in better way and be a supporting partner in family as and when needed.
• Being earning member of the family, self confidence of women will enhance and so the intrinsic skill will further developed.
• The medical facilities and insurance coverage should be provided to every working woman.

• Equal participation in political wing for women in the political parties.

• Only the society base on tolerance, equality and justice can be the real guarantee for the prosperous and strong Pakistan.

Therefore, we, invite the women from all walks of life to come forward and join the rank and file of Islamic Democratic Party and take the rain for the change of socio-political system in their hands to acquire peace and progress for better life with women’s dignity, respect and equal opportunity in Pakistan.


www.idp.org.pk


Ilyas khan Baloch
Organizer, Islamic Democratic Party.

Posted by: Ilyas khan baloch on May 12, 2008 10:38 AM
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