KARACHI, Sept 27: Speakers at a two-day conference of the All Pakistan Women’s Association stressed that the nation cannot make real progress without women empowerment and bring them into the main stream of decision making process.

They said that unless women were given equal rights and opportunities the country could not prosper.

They were speaking at the inauguration of a two-day conference of Apwa on Tuesday entitled ‘Women’s role in shaping tomorrow’, which marks the end of the year-long centenary celebrations of the Apwa founder, Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan.

Apwa chief Tazeen Faridi, Zarin Sarfaraz, Laila Sarfaraz, Yasmin Dastoor, Shahen Ateequr Rehman and others addressed the conference.

The speakers urged the women to get educated because mother was the first and prime educational institution for a child.

They said that women were also partly to be blamed if they had not been able to raise a civilized generation and teach their male children to respect females so that they could grow more sensible.

They also advocated women’s role in politics for bringing about a positive change in the system.

The speakers also stressed the need for skill development training for the womenfolk.

They also urged the women to support women victims of violence, who were brave enough to have stood up against the victimizations.

They said that the society should also change its attitude and praise those women who raised their voice against the injustices done to them.

The speakers said that the millennium development goals that the country had agreed to could not be achieved until women were given their due rights.

They demanded that the government should take measures to check the arsenic poisoning which was affecting women and children in at least 10 districts in Punjab.

They urged the young women to join Apwa so that fresh blood could revitalize the organization. They said that Begum Ra’ana was very particular about the young girls and had stressed their joining the organization.

The speakers said that Apwa would continue its struggle and one day Pakistani women would be free from their shackles — economic, social and political.

Apwa’s president Tazeen Faridi, who headed the organization for six years, retires on Wednesday and a general body meting would elect a new president. Ms Faridi would be made a patron of Apwa.