PESHAWAR: Women hailing from merged districts have urged the federal government to take practical steps for provision of conducive environment to the tribal women so that they can play active role in politics, dispute resolution and development of their areas.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, a group of civil society activists led by Razia Mehsud said the people expected the federal government to materialise its commitments made during the merger of former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

She said the tribal women wanted to play active role in politics, resolution of inter-tribe disputes, restoration of peace and development of their areas but they were not provided the opportunity. “We recently formed an organisation, ‘women leaders peace network’, to raise voice for our rights in an effective manner,” she said.

The tribal women, she added, could do a lot for uplift of their communities but they were not given the opportunity to share views in decision making bodies. She said inaccessibility to health and lack of education facilities in their far-flung areas were the other problems faced by the tribal women.

Ms Mehsud suggested practical steps for participation of women in the process of development, elections and maintenance of peace. She said no country could make progress without participation of its women in the policy and decision making bodies.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2022