SUKKUR: The International Women’s Day was observed at Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur on Monday. A seminar on “Gender Gap” was organised by the Institute of Gender Studies. SALU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Parveen Shah presided over the seminar while Barrister Shahida Jamil, former provincial minister for education and law, was the chief guest on this occasion.
Prof Dr Parveen Shah said that gender equity was not just about economic empowerment, it was a moral imperative. “Fairness and equity includes political, social and cultural dimensions. Pakistan is a country where feudalism is in power and exercised by the feudalistic, aristocratic landlords,” said Dr Shah. “We all have to work on empowering women, improving maternal health and empowering women through innovative technologies. The history of women struggle belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.”
The vice chancellor said that women were neglected in our society, gender gap was prevalent, women were denied their basic right of inherent property, vote, education, health, economic and political empowerment.
Ms Sadiqa Salahuddin said that the gender gap prevailed in our education system. She said, “Ghost schools are working. In Sindh, there are 37,000 schools; only 7,000 girls’ schools are operational where there is no compound wall and toilet.
“One million boys are enrolled; only 30,000 girls are enrolled in schools. This is also a high gap and the dropout trend of girls is emerging, 53 percent of girls are out of schools, especially with the rural background.”
