PESHAWAR, July 9: The speakers at a seminar have called for the socio-economic empowerment of tribal women and stressed the government to expedite the process of reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

A one-day seminar entitled “Women situation and reforms in tribal areas” was organized by the Tribal Reforms and Development Forum (TRDF) at the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday.

The representatives of NGOs and educationists attended the seminar.

Speaking on the occasion Maryum Bibi of Khwaindo Kore, expressed concern over the pathetic condition of women in Fata and said that the tribal women were still subjected to discrimination.

She said that the role of the tribal women had been confined and completely ignored in decision making process. She pointed out that a boy was preferred to a girl because the boy carried importance for the tribe. This concept, she said, had rendered women backward and were not allowed to present their case before the jirga.

She proposed that Fata women should be given equal representation in developmental schemes. Because without active participation of women sustainable development was impossible in the tribal society, and added that developmental schemes should not be linked with politics in the area.

Chairperson Tribal Women Welfare Association Dr Begum Jan criticized the role of Fata parliamentarians and said that the concerned MNAs and senators did nothing for the development and welfare of women.

She said that women had been deprived of their rights and not encouraged to play their due role in the development and progress of the area.

Dr Jan said that the tribal region was still backward and there was lack of basic facilities including education, health and communication. She said that in many areas of Fata, girls could not go to schools and so far only seven headquarters hospitals, 20 civil hospitals, 67 dispensaries and 12 health care centres had been established in seven tribal agencies.

She insisted the tribal women to raise voice for their rights.

Prof Mumtaz Bangash speaking on reforms in administrative set up in Fata demanded to extend the local government system to the tribal areas.

“The government should implement local government system forthwith, because it would encourage political culture in Fata. The tribal people are still victims of the colonial system”, he observed.

He held bureaucracy and political representatives responsible for the backwardness of the area. “They are apathetic towards the situation of tribal people”, he said.

Prof Naeem Khan said that tribal areas needed an organized political system. He said that the jirga members were arbitrarily selected and woman had no representation in the system. He said that the condition of women would not change unless the rigid rules and traditions change.