Call for empowering women to advance society

MUZAFFARABAD: Women participation at both micro and macro levels empowers them to develop the ability and competence to counter conflicts peacefully. Without a vocal approach and constructive intervention, it is difficult to women to act as leaders and change-makers.

This was said by National Defence University (NDU) Professor Dr Shaheen Akhtar on Tuesday. She was leading a training session that the Center for Peace, Development and Reforms had organized. The one-day event was attended by 25 Azad Jammu and Kashmir women. Dr Akhtar emphasised the necessity of structural reforms and policies in advancing women’s participation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s socioeconomic life. According to her, the impact of the Kashmir conflict circumscribed women majority in drafting and execution of strategic plans embodying policy-making and hampered their functioning in core spaces. In this background, empowering women in crisis must be one of the most important tasks.

She underlined the need to develop a network of established women mediators who can run advocacy campaigns. “It is vital to recognize the contribution and efforts of women in the peace-making process for meaningful results as they constitute 49% of the Azad Jammu Kashmir population,” she emphasized, adding that the very existence of empowered women demanded termination of conventional patriarchal practices for a befitting governance. Their representation requires acceptability and substantial validity for participation and ratified output. Unfortunately, due to socio-cultural and financial constraints, AJK women question their strength, otherwise they possess massive potential to underline their inclusion in the peace-making and conflict resolution process by being effective mediators.

CPDR President Zulfiqar Abbasi said the CPDR sought to advance gender-sensitive and inclusive policies to assist social and economic reforms in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, he suggested that numerous projects be started to empower women through skill development courses and dispute resolution training to enhance their socioeconomic standing. According to him, no nation has ever advanced economically or socially without empowering its women; putting women behind will keep the nation behind.

According to Ershad Mahmud, CPDR executive director, women’s involvement and participation may be ensured through educating and empowering them at various levels. He claimed that although the empowerment of women was currently receiving some attention from authorities in AJK, more thorough research was still required to fully comprehend the reality of women’s access to healthcare, jobs and education.

Manal Sohail, anthropologist and communication specialist, BRET Solutions, discussed the aspects of individuals’ wellbeing through self-awareness agenda, and how it helps illuminate the blind spots. She said better decision, creativity and collaborative initiative hailed from confident individuals and emboldened women could be a source of a true global inspiration. She indicated the importance of enhanced social and cultural learning to interact and develop objective and thoughtful women leaders to confute the societal stereotypes. Her focus on living a balanced life reflected the need to expand knowledge and behaviours. “Women in Azad Kashmir are aware of their potential and skills. The core idea is to activate their intrinsic traits for pronounced representation and better outcomes.” She asked the participants to prioritize their fundamental rights and growth traits that ought to enable them in building an unbiased society, particularly in the conflicted regions.

Several women from various parts of AJK voiced multiple issues like lack of resources, unlawful prejudice, limiting their political participation, employment opportunities, healthcare, conveyance and other facilities that distract them for accomplishing their goals. Discussing the creation of institutional framework, Asma Ali Shan challenged the traditional dynamics of the society that generally overlooked the perspective of gender. Afifa Awais said women in Kashmir understood the notion of peace in the most realistic way. Their propensity for fostering non-violent societies through peacemaking, mediation and negotiation processes characterised their desire to advance peacefully.

Irtaza Muhammad, a programme officer at the CPDR, noted that Kashmiri women were gradually advancing in every aspect of life. As many as 31 women ran for office in the recent local government elections, and some of them won in fierce competitions, shocking political watchers worldwide. Dr Shaheen Akhtar and Manal Sohail distributed certificates to participants.