October 17, 2007	Wednesday	Shawwal 4, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: The World Rural Women’s Day, which had been the focus of attention for several local NGOs in the past especially those claiming to be fighting for women’s rights seemed to have been largely ignored this year.

No significant event marking the day was reported aimed to highlight the contributions of the rural women as well as the innumerous difficulties they face in a developing country like Pakistan.

The day is observed each year on October 15 to acknowledge rural women’s role in ensuring food security and in the development and stability of rural areas.

With little or no status, rural women in Pakistan lack the power to secure land rights or to access vital services such as quality education and health facilities besides concerns regarding their malnutrition.

The day aimed at bringing rural women out of obscurity at least once a year and reminding societies how much they owed to rural women and to give value and credit to their work.—Staff Reporter