HYDERABAD, March 21: Local women councillors have complained that they are unable to perform their supposed role as they are powerless, which has created a difficult situation for them.

They were speaking at a training seminar, titled ‘One Year of District Councils and Role of Women Councillors’, organized by the district resource centre of the Aurat Foundation in collaboration with the Citizens’ Action Committee for Women’s Rights, at the district council hall here on Thursday.

They demanded that separate funds should be earmarked for women councillors.

District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman said that society was not prepared to give equal status to women.

He urged the women councillors to perform an exemplary role and launch a consistent struggle for women’s rights.

Mr Rafiquzzaman said that no separate budgetary allocations had been made for women councillors under the Sindh Local Government Ordinance but the Hyderabad District Council had decided to earmark Rs3.6 million for a development scheme identified by women councillors.