Participants agreed to raise voice for better S Asia for women

SAWA REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Islamabad

The participants of the South Asia Women Alliance (SAWA) regional conference on Wednesday agreed to raise a collective voice in respective countries and in the South Asia region, for a better and friendly South Asia for women.

This was the crux of a two-day regional conference for South Asian Women Alliance (SAWA) of Community Leaders concluded here with a resolve for a strengthened role and participation of women community leaders in the development and peace agenda.

The concluding day of the South Asia Women Alliance (SAWA) of Community Leaders (SAWA) Regional Conference continued the discussion on the importance of furthering the role of women community leaders in development, especially for localising the SDGs and peace building.

The closing ceremony was also attended by Women Parliamentarians from all political parties in Pakistan, including Speaker Balochistan Assembly Raheela Durrani, Secretary Women Parliamentary Caucus Shaista Pervaiz Malik representing the government and PML-N. “We have gathered to celebrate the successes we have made over the decades,” said Shaista Pervaiz in her key note address, and assured the participants that Pakistan would take lead in the implementation of pro-women laws which has already started.

Concluding the ceremony, Raheela Durrani, Speaker Balochistan Assembly said, “we have arrived at this occasion through a long journey and struggle for our rights,” adding that women are now on the forefront of the struggles across the region. She said that we as a group have to raise voice for the voiceless women of our region and assured that the present government is ready to take concrete measures for women empowerment.

Harris Khalique, speaking on the occasion appreciated the participation from South Asian countries and hoped that the recommendations of the conference would pave way for a better and peaceful region for women. Poet Kishwar Naheed recited her famous poem.

SAWA was formed in January 2016 as an initiative to bring together grassroots women community leaders from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries and connect them to regional macro-policies and global decision making. Its first conference was also held in the federal capital, during which community leaders called on SAARC to recognize the alliance.

The conference also featured group discussions, in which community leaders and delegates from Bhutan, Nepal, India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Pakistan deliberated on various issues. The sessions titled as linkages between women community leaders in the eight SAARC states, challenges, opportunities and recommendations to engage micro voices from the alliance at the macro level, and the role women at the grassroots level can play in conflict resolution.