KARACHI, May 15: Political will is crucial for bringing an end to all sorts of violence against women. This was stated by Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik while speaking as a chief guest at a seminar on Violence Against Women -- A Challenge.

The Seminar was organized by the Women Complaint Cell, Directorate of Women Development, Sindh.

She said that the participation of women in socio-economic development of the country was a prerequisite to compete in today’s world of globalization, adding that poverty and ignorance were the root-cause of women rights abuse in Pakistan, as women had no knowledge about their rights and means for achieving the same.

She said that economic empowerment of women was directly linked with their education and skill development for which the present government was taking measures and had allocated sufficient funds.

She said that the government was also planning to set up training institutions for women so that they could be imparted necessary training in running some small business concern.

The minister called upon the private sector to join in the government’s efforts in this regard so that concentrated and consolidated measures could be undertaken, as collective efforts could produce better results than those by an individual. The present government, she said, was determined to uplift women’s pathetic condition.

She said that establishment of women educational networks and promotion of community-based approach in Sindh, particularly rural areas, would ensure an end to violence against women.

Dr Malik stressed the need for eliminating the concept of gender discrimination.

Adviser to the CM Fatima Suraiyya Bajia told the seminar that misunderstanding Islamic laws and diversion from Islamic teachings were the main reasons leading to violations of women’s rights in the country. She said that the government should launch sustainable programmes to create awareness of women’s rights.

She said it was necessary to identify the root-cause of the violation of women rights in society.

She held out the assurance that the government would extend all cooperation in reforming the society in this regard. She said she would do more literary work on this theme.

Secretary Sindh Social Welfare and Youth Affairs Mehtab Akbar Rashdi said that change of mindset was necessary for bringing reforms and ensuring their success, as centuries-old customs had penetrated in peoples’ mind. She said that without the political will and passion, no programme could give results.

She demanded repeal of anti-women laws and enactment of new laws for the protection of women’s rights, saying that the existing laws were not enough.

Justice (r) Majida Rizvi demanded amendment to the existing laws on women’s rights, pointing out that the same were biased and had become obsolete.

Dr Mubina Agbotwala, Chairperson of the Women Crisis Centre, Sindh, regretted that despite the passage of almost 60 years since the inception of Pakistan, violence against women, women discriminatory laws, unjust and cruel social customs and practices, etc. still prevailed in the country.

Earlier, in the first session of the seminar, Dr Masuma Hasan, Director National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), and Prof Khalida Ghous, Chairperson of the Department of International Relations, University of Karachi, reiterated the need for the creation of a democratic, pluralistic, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, tolerant and peaceful society in Pakistan for which the government and NGOs could work together.

Dr Shariq Ali, In-charge of the Burns Centre, Civil Hospital pointed that more than three women were murdered every day in the world and the killer in most cases happened to be a husband or boyfriend.--PPI