March 9, 2006	Thursday	Safar 8, 1427

KARACHI, March 8: Speakers at the Women Workers Conference on Wednesday called for an end to all laws against women and demanded implementation of the all international conventions on safeguarding women rights.

The moot was organized to mark International Women’s Day by the Labour Education Foundation at the Karachi Press Club.

The speakers also called for repeal of Hudood Ordinance and women representation in assemblies according to their population. They called for an end to the exploitation of womenfolk in industrial units and lesser working hours for women workers at their workplaces.

They also stressed that the wages of men and women workers should be the same. Women working in the Export Processing Zone and other informal sectors should be considered as ‘labourers’ and laws should be formulated for them, they said.

The speakers also called for the social security cover for the women workers.

They opposed privatization of education, health, water and electricity under the regime of the World Trade Organization.

They demanded that the International Day of Women be declared a public holiday.

On the occasion, women members of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum staged a demo outside the press club and demanded an end to the contract system in the fishing sector. They condemned the injustices committed against fishermen community.

Those who addressed the protesters included Asma Manzoor, a lecturer at the Department of Women Studies, University of Karachi, Nisar Shah, Chairperson of the Labour Education Foundation and Akhtar Hussain, President of the Sindh High Court Bar Association.

The international women day was also observed at the Karachi Central Prison, where DK Foundation distributed gifts and sweets among women inmates and their children.

The lawyers’ team assured women prisoners of free legal assistance in their trials.

SEMINAR: Local Government Adviser Waseem Akhtar has said that the government was committed to improve the condition of women, pointing out that it had already increased their representation in every sphere of activity.

He was speaking as chief guest at a seminar on The Role of Women Councillors in the Local Government, held at the Women Study Centre, University of Karachi.

The seminar was organized by the centre in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission to mark the International Women’s Day.

Mr Akhtar said that programmes in health and education had been launched for the rural population. Women councillors, he said, could play a significant role for the welfare and rights of the womenfolk.

Speaking on the occasion, Naib Nazim of Karachi Nasreen Jalil stressed the need for a positive change in the approach towards the rightful place for women in the society.

She urged parents to ensure justice with children at home.

Ms Jalil also called for efforts for the betterment of women at community level, and said that women councillors should play their due role in this respect.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Karachi University, Prof Akhlaq Ahmed, said education was an important element for a dignified society.

Dean Faculty of Arts Prof Mohammad Shamsuddin said that women could play a vital role in the country’s development.

Director of the Women Study Centre Dr Nasreen Aslam Shah, Nazim of Gulshan Town, Waseh Jalil, and Bushra Ikram also spoke on the occasion.

LNH MOOT: Health experts at a programme held at the Liaquat National Hospital highlighted the role of women in the society’s socio-economic uplift.

The programme was organized by the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Asim Hassan of the LNH stated that women were playing vital role in the development and progress of any country in the world. He cited the example of Malaysia and Singapore, and hoped that women in Pakistan would also play a similar role.

Dr Kaneez Zahra emphasized that women should continue their struggle against the widely-felt discrimination in this male-dominated society. Dr Shershah Syed, Dr Shiekh Abu Khalid, Dr Shaheen Zafar, Dr Shahnaz Hussaini and others also spoke.