May 12, 2005

In this fast paced world women have done well in almost every field of work. They have even proved their mettle in fields that were primarily considered to be for men only and in some areas have established themselves and be-come better than their male counterparts.

Though the concept of chadar aur char dewari has long been forgotten, women are not given due credit in this patriarchal society. Thus, in order to bring forth the female luminaries and make their efforts known to the world, a lady took upon herself to publish the Women’s Yearbook.

It chronicles the noteworthy efforts of women who have left a mark upon the lives of others and shaped their future through sheer hard work. The book is the brainchild of Farzana Rehman, who despite many difficulties completed the first edition in 1986 and since then, every year, has taken out an updated version of the book.

Apart from the book, she has also established Woman of the Year Award, formed Ladies Forum, made basant a yearly event by the sea, and organized an exhibition entitled Golden Women of Pakistan, in which photos of all the women who have made extraordinary efforts are displayed.

This year, the International Women’s Day provided an opportunity for others to pay tribute to Rehman. An evening was organized at the Arts Council Karachi, in which notable personalities took part.

Among the speakers, Khushbakht Shujaat, the Vice President of the Arts Council said that the Women’s Yearbook was the first big peak Rehman conquered. It was an effort that would not have been possible without sheer dedication and hard work.

Mehtab Akbar Rashidi said that Rehman was a determined and goal oriented person and thus was able to complete her work single handedly and without much funds.

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