National Working Women’s Day: Seminar sheds light on issues facing women

MARDAN: Speakers at a seminar here on Wednesday highlighted the issues being faced by the working women.

They were speaking at the seminar to mark the National Working Women’s Day.

The Department of Sociology and Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) at the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan had jointly organised the seminar.

Sabeeha Hastam, Additional Assistant Commissioner Mardan/Finance Officer, Alia Nawab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women district women committee member, Tauheed Rasheed, Superintendent Women Shelter Home Mardan, Najma Shehnaz, Lady Police District Mardan, Dr Hussain Ali, Chairperson Sociology Department, Syed Ali Shah, Chairperson Pakistan Studies, Sajjad Ali Shah, Deputy Director ORIC, Shah Hussain Awan, Deputy Director Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC), Muhammad Arif, President Saiban Development Organization, Shaista Gohar, Safia, Rizwana Gul and other faculty members of the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan shared their views.

Expressing her views, Sabeeha Hastam said that women were able to achieve and fulfill every task more professionally either in their family life or in professional life. She added that women should convince their family members to allow them to get a decent job and contribute to nation building. Alia Nawab said a woman could not secure a decent employment without self-confidence and courage.

She maintained that women should choose new professions and establish their own businesses to play a vital role in the socio-economic development of the country. In her speech, Najma Shehnaz encouraged the students to join those departments and organisations where women were doing fewer jobs due to social barriers.

Tauheed Rasheed said she served in the Pakistan Air Force for two years and was now working with the Social Welfare Department. “I feel honoured to work for women who have suffered and faced gender-based violence in the society. I encourage women to raise their voice for their protection and empowerment in society,” she added.

Sajjad Ali Shah said that women had the ability to perform their duty at home as well as in any organisation. He added that women were performing their role as working women in every sphere of life which was a roadmap for women graduates in future.

Muhammad Arif said that women were being encouraged to join their organisation as a social worker to highlight the issues faced by working women in different sectors. At the end, shields were distributed among working women.