MANSEHRA: The women seeking share in inheritance are subjected to domestic violence in Mansehra district.

“The women demanding share in the family’s moveable and immoveable property face more domestic violence than other women in the district,” district coordinator of Awaz programme Mohammad Asif told a function in Gari Habibullah on Friday.

A large number of women from Garhi Habibullah and Karnol union councils, including victims of domestic violence, attended the event organised by Sungi Development Foundation under its Awaz programme.

The Awaz programme’s representative said his organisation had been organising meetings of women facing violence, especially domestic violence, in 10 union councils for one and a half years and had learned that women were tortured by brothers, husbands and other family members mostly over inheritance, character and marriage.

He said the programme was launched in 10 union councils of the district last year and would continue until 2017 to change the people’s mindset on women rights.

Expert urges women to stand up for rights

“We have been following a three-pronged strategy to create public awareness at grassroots level of the women’s participation in political process and their empowerment,” he said.

The Awaz programme’s representative said women would have to stand up to claim rights and go to the right forums for justice against grievances. We will provide you with legal and moral support,” he said.

He said Awaz had been working for women’s empowerment by increasing their participation in politics, health and education services, and peace initiatives.

Speaking on the occasion, Awaz programme field coordinator Ambreen Shah said the joint forums of men and women were being formed in the targeted union councils of the district to empower women and ensure their participation in political affairs.

She said Awaz forums had been formed at village, union council and tehsil levels of Mansehra and Balakot.

Ambreen said women were victims of the men’s excesses, especially torture, and many were tortured even when they demanded food for themselves and children.

She said local women wanted to raise voice for rights besides taking part in local body elections on women’s and general seats.

The Awaz programme coordinator said members of the programme had been striving to remove hurdles to the women’s participation in politics and providing with them all sorts of services on their doorstep.

“We have been helping women register votes and get computerised national identity cards so that they could participate in political activities, especially elections,” she said.

ANTI-POLIO CAMPAIGN: An anti-polio campaign targeting around 290,500 children aged five and below have ended in Mansehra district.

A relevant official, Tariq Hussain, claimed the campaign, which began on December 8, had achieved the target 100 per cent.

He said no family refused vaccination of its members.

The official said the anti-polio campaign didn’t take place in the snowbound union councils of Kaghan and Mahandri and that local children would be vaccinated after the access to the areas was restored.

Published in Dawn December 13th , 2014