PESHAWAR: Civil society activists on Tuesday called for empowering tribal women and giving them equal rights. They asked the government to take practical steps for improvement in this regard in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
The seminar titled “make it happen” was arranged in connection with the International Women’s Day by Takrha Qabaeli Khwendey (brave tribal sisters) and District Influencing Group in collaboration with South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK) here at a local hotel.
Women from Fata also participated in the event and those who spoke on the occasion included Nusrat Ara, Maryam Bibi, Rakhshanda Naz, Shahida Shah, Jameel Gilani, Tehmina Afridi, Nazra Saeed and Aneela Tajik.
The speakers said that tribal women were being kept backward by denying them education opportunities. They said that basic rights like education were yet to be given to tribal women. They noted that the nations ensuring basic human rights to their women were the ones achieving progress in all sectors.
“When Islam gives rights and status to women then why they are kept deprived,” asked social activist Aisha from Mohmand Agency, saying that some traditions were still hurdles to the women’s development. Jamila Gilani said that the government should take measures for the empowerment of women, particularly those in Fata.
Nasira Laghmani said that tribal women had a lot of talent in fields like embroidery, handicrafts, stitching etc while a women’s chamber had been established for women empowerment. She said that tribal women should come forward and take membership of the chamber to play their role in boosting the economy of Fata and the country.
Nusrat Ara said that women should be given due representation in politics and national, provincial and local governments so that they could resolve the issues being faced by the womenfolk.
Published in Dawn March 11th , 2015
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