Calls made for ensuring gender equality: Functions arranged across KP to mark International Women’s Day

PESHAWAR: A number of functions were arranged in the provincial metropolis and elsewhere in KP on Tuesday to mark International Women’s Day (March 8) with calls for ensuring gender equality to help women play their due roles for social development and economic progress of the country.

The United Nations theme for the day this year was “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.”

Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) hosted an event at Watan Kor which was attended by the party provincial Vice-Chairperson Dr Faiza Rasheed, Joint Secretary Tania Gul and a number of party women workers.

The party Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao called for efforts to ensure that women get due rights. He said the women should be allowed to make decisions about their lives, urging the government to ensure gender equality in the male-dominated society.

The UN Women and Women Parliamentary Caucus of the KP Assembly arranged a seminar at the University of Peshawar. Minister for Higher Education Kamran Bangash, Members Provincial Assembly Madiha Nisar and Dr Sumera Shams spoke on the occasion. The UN Women representatives, academicians, girls education activists and students of the university were in attendance.

A literary and cultural organization, Gandhara Hindko Board, arranged a function at the Gandhara Hindko Academy. Professor Ghazala Yousaf presided over while Ms Gul Arbab, a noted travelogue writer, was the chief guest.

Among other participants were Prof Samina Effat, Prof Dr Antaz Zia, an author and head of the Urdu Department of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar, Dr Raheela Khurshid, Ms Sarwat Advocate, Saba Khan, Mamoona, Ms Perveen, Tahira Iffat and Darkhshan Anjum.

The speakers said Islam gave all rights to women and Sura-e-Nisa in the Holy Quran clearly showed that.

They deplored that women faced discriminatory treatment in the society despite the fact they excel in every field if provided a level playing field.

The board representative said they had always encouraged women by publishing their books, bringing out for them a literary journal “Fatima” and arranging three women conferences so far.

Horizon, a non-governmental organization working in the mental health sector for the last over three decades, arranged a programme at the Ibadat Hospital to mark the occasion.

Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Razia Sultana was the chief guest.

Dr Ruqia Fida was the main speaker who used the occasion to talk about infertility and mental health as well.

Prof Dr Tariq Mufti and Prof Nasir Ali Syed were the guests of honour.

The function was well-attended by academicians, mental health experts, psychiatrists, psychologists and students.

Prof Dr Khalid Mufti and Dr Ali Ahsan Mufti welcomed the guests.

Prof Dr Razia Sultana was awarded Lifetime Excellence Award for her contributions to the advancement of education as the vice-chancellor of the first public sector women university in the province.

HARIPUR: The speakers stressed the need for attitudinal changes for ending the culture of treating women as something less significant part of the society or else the objective of a prosperous and inclusive society would remain elusive.

The members of the civil society organizations and government departments said this while addressing the participants at the function arranged by the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department and the Sungi Development Foundation.

The speakers said despite the fact there were several laws, the incidents of gender-based violence, forced and under-age marriages, harassment at workplaces, are the violations that are on the rise in society.

The participants adopted a charter of demand urging the district administration to order for the establishment of anti-harassment committees in all the governmental and non-governmental organisations, educational institutions, biopsychosocial rehabilitation of the victims of gender-based violence, making the committees functional on the status of women at the district level, health facilities for persons with disabilities, end to child labour together with the establishment of child protection unit at the district level, the special law for transgender persons and financial support for them who have attained the age of 50 years.