‘Islam provides basic rights to women’

Islamabad: A national conference on women’s rights titled ‘Gender Equality in Islam’ will be held today (Friday) at Islamabad Hotel, says a press release.

The conference has been organised by Universal Interfaith Peace Mission (UIPM) in collaboration with Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) to mark International Women Day of United Nations. Federal Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar will be the chief guest. While UIPM Chairman Allama Dr GR Chishti will preside over the ceremony. Among list of distinguished guests, Dr Amineh Hoti, Director Interfaith Dialogue Centre Islamabad, Mrs Marzia from Baha’I community and Mrs Farha Amjad will honour the ceremony with their presence.

Dr Chishti said that the basic purpose of the conference is to shun the concepts that some people wrongly accuse that Islam deprives women of their basic rights. In fact, Islam was the first religion, which not only has liberated women from the evil practices that are still being followed in many societies of the world but also protected and granted the basic rights to them, some of which other religions/societies have recently adapted. Such as, Islam is the first religion giving women rights of inheritance.

He said International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate womanhood. “In today’s world, and in the past, women have accomplished amazing feats in the face of adversity. It’s no surprise that statistics show women around the world bear the brunt of the world’s stress, work and injustice,” he said adding this year, International Women’s Day comes on the heels of unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality and justice. Sexual harassment, violence and discrimination against women has captured headlines and public discourse, propelled by a rising determination for change.