SHANGLA: Women villagers from Shangla district have complained about a lack of health and educational facilities, and poor roads in their areas and demanded the early corrective measures.

During the launching ceremony of a NGO’s women empowerment project here on Wednesday, they also highlighted the issues and challenges facing womenfolk in their district.

The event was attended by social welfare development deputy director Rubina Ryaz, Shangla district naib nazim Kamran Iqbal, opposition leader in district council Haji Sadeedur Rehman, Nida-Pakistan project programme director Dr Ziaur Rehman Farooqi, social workers and rural women.

The women villagers said they were in distress as the district was badly hit by natural disasters many times in the recent times.

LG promises better funds for women villagers’ uplift

Councillor Maroo Bibi said schools and health centres were washed away in the 2010 flash floods and therefore, the women had to go to far-away places for medical examinations and treatment.

She said it was unfortunate that the elected people had failed to develop the area.“Ironically, Shangla doesn’t have a girls college, which is a major source of the local women’s backwardness,” she said.

Woman councillor from Koz Kana Shamshadgai said the local government representatives had done nothing for the women’s development in the area.

“I want to work for my village, especially for women, but the government has denied us deprived development and non-development funds,” she lamented.

Samina Bibi of Koz Cham complained there was no road to her village, which was without a girls school, too. She said the government should focus attention on the development of rural areas.

Awalyana of Chatai Damorai complained the area had no welfare centre for women in distress.

She said the government and non-governmental organisations should come forward for women’s empowerment in rural areas to help them stand on their own feet.

Deputy director of the social welfare department Rubina said the power project recently executed in the district would economically empower rural women.

She urged LG representatives to contact the social welfare department for the empowerment of Shangla’s women villagers.

Social worker Fauzia Shahzad said lack of girls schools, shortage of teachers at existing ones, and cultural taboos were the major reasons for the poverty of Shangla women.

She said the government should ensure provision of basic needs, especially healthcare, to women on their doorstep. The district naib nazim said the local government would ensure the allocation of better funds for women, especially for those living in villages.

He asked the federal and provincial governments to make comprehensive policies for the women’s economic empowerment.

Nida-Pakistan director (programmes) Ziarur Rehman said the project was about agricultural development, forestation, skill enhancement and water supply. He said the project would continue in the district until 2020.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2017