PESHAWAR
Speakers at two-day national women conference here Wednesday underlined the need for strict implementation of existing laws to end domestic, sexual and other types of violence against women folk.
The conference titled ‘women as development agents’ is being organized by Pakistan Academy for Rural Development (PARD) in collaboration with UN women representatives here at National Institute of Management (NIM) and Pakistan Provincial Services Academy (PPSA).
In her welcome address and later talking to reporters, Director General PARD, NIM and PPSA, Nafees Rahim said violence against women was an international phenomena and collective approach was required to curb it.
She said violence against women and girls was also a social issue that could be effectively tackled through transformative approach, pro-women legislative reforms and strict implementation of existing laws.
She said PARD was making determined efforts for socioeconomic empowerment of underprivileged women and providing a conducive environment to women officers and under-training female officers at this historic institute.
Nafees Rahim said a daycare center has been established at the institute for facilitating working women besides a girl hostel for accommodation of under training female officers and women staff.
While thanking Sharmeela Rassol, Country Representative UN Women Pakistan on her participation in the conference through video link and Sumera Shams, Member Provincial Assembly and Chairperson Women Parliamentary Caucus KP, the Director General PARD said a vocational educational institute was also setup at the academy for professional training of women so that they could live a dignified and prosperous life.
She said academicians, researchers, civil society, intelligentsia, women officers of the KP Government and rights activists were participating in the two days moot, adding its recommendations would be shared with relevant departments and lawmakers for implementation.
Sharmeela Rassol said the issue of violence against women can’t be addressed overnight and consistent struggle was imperative to overcome the issue.
She said Pakistan had achieved substantial progress in respect of socioeconomic empowerment of women referring to their increased education literacy ratio and participation in civil service, parliament besides other socioeconomic services. She said great scope was available for Pakistani women in all key sectors including education, health, banking, economics, social welfare and civil service to shine.
She said it was very encouraging that a positive shift has been witnessed in people’s mindsets about girls’ education in Pakistan. Sharmeela Rasool underscored the need for continued and enhanced engagements for promotion of higher education of girls and their economic empowerment.
Sumera Shams, Member Provincial Assembly and Chairperson Women Parliamentary Caucus KP said that a legislative bill to curb domestic violence against women has been passed while another bill to counter acid burns crimes was being prepared.
She said work on others legislative bills to counter honour killing and harassment at work place besides protecting rights of transgender were underway. He said that a legislative bill regarding reproductive health has been passed to protect the rights of girls.
The other speakers highlighted various issues pertaining to pro-women legislative structure in Pakistan and its effective implementation, women’s role in decision making, cultural and gender norms’ barriers, property rights, child marriages and presented recommendations for its solutions.
Earlier, Additional Director Training PARD, Peshawar Zafar Jamal and presenter Najmus Sahar appraised the participants about objectives of the conference.
