March 09, 2008	Sunday	Safar 30, 1429

PESHAWAR, March 8: Newly-elected parliamentarians on reserved seats for women in the provincial assembly vowed in the presence of a large number of women to work in their capacity as MPs for gender equality and women’s rights, on the International Women’s Day.

Women from different walks of life dressed in colourful clothes celebrated the Women’s Day here on Saturday in an environment filled with music.

The Aurat Foundation held the function in connection with the Women’s Day. The slogan for this year, said women’s rights activist Saima Munir, was ‘stronger women, stronger world’ and ‘investing in women and children, financing for gender equality’.

In an unusual atmosphere, poems were recited and songs were sung to celebrate women’s achievements and their role in society. Rukhshanda Naz, resident director of the Aurat Foundation, took pledge from the parliamentarians to protect women’ rights, work for gender equality and eliminate all kinds of discriminatory laws against women.

The parliamentarians on reserved seats from different political parties, including Shazia Tehmas, Nargis Samin, Zubaida Ihsan, Yasmin Zia, Munnawar Zaman, Shagufta Malik and Jamila, vowed to serve women of the province as their representatives in the provincial legislature. They also promised to work for banning any organisation and activities which fanned hatred.

They pledged that as people’s representatives they would ensure implementation of laws and charters related to human rights. They said they would work for establishing a society based on democracy and equality of all citizens. They would make efforts to improve the life standard of women, minorities and all downtrodden sections of society, the lawmakers vowed.

Ms Naz said women in the NWFP had a reason to celebrate this day. Election of women on reserved seats in provincial and national assemblies and women councillor in local governments was an achievement. Women had got the right of representation and had moved forward their agenda of women’s rights, she said.

Shakila Naz from the Homenet project working for home-based women workers said there were 12 million women workers in South Asia who were home-based and involved in small businesses. The government should recognise them as labourers and given them their due rights and privileges.

Later, the women took out a candle-lit procession on the University Road.

HARIPUR: To mark the Women’s Day, women activists of the PPP took out a procession here on Saturday and dedicated the activity to their assassinated leader Benazir Bhutto.

The procession, which started from the house of party district president Dr Faiza Rasheed, was also participated by women councillors and NGO activists. The participants marched on different city roads, carrying placards, banners and chanting slogans for women’s women, and later reached the main chowk.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Faiza said her party workers had pledged to complete Ms Bhutto’s mission.

Gulnaz Rasheed, the city president of the women’s wing of the PPP, also spoke on the occasion.

The gathering adopted two resolutions, demanding inquiry into Ms Bhutto’s assassination by a UN commission and construction of a memorial for her at the site of her murder.

Later, women activists of the PPP presented a rare show of burning candles with their blood in memory of Ms Benazir. Some male activists of the party also donated their blood.

SWABI: Different welfare organisations held a function here to mark the Women’s Day.

The speakers stressed gender equality and said women’s contribution in different sectors should be acknowledged. They said the dream of prosperity and progress could only be materialised if women were allowed to work. They said women had excelled in various departments and their role had proved very important.