PESHAWAR, March 8: Speakers at a one-day conference here on Monday urged the government to empower the womenfolk politically by giving them their due share in the decision-making process.

The conference was organized by the Aurat Foundation at the Nishtar Hall in connection with International Women's Day celebrations and the theme of this year was "celebrating women's political empowerment".

Women councillors and activists demanded that all discriminatory laws against women should be abolished. Women councillors from Charsadda, Buner, Abbottabad, Tank, Swabi, Haripur, Hangu, Kohat, Malakand, Dera Ismail Khan and Nowshera were invited to share their experiences with others.

Various women welfare organizations displayed handicraft, embroidered cloth and other products made by women of the rural areas. The handicraft by the women in prisons were also exhibited.

Shakira Gul, a union councillor of Peshawar district, said women should participate in political activities so that government could hear their demands and those women.

Saima Munir, a women activist, said that it was a celebration of the women's struggle for their rights which started in New York in 1908 when women demanded equal rights with men and it would continue till they achieve their due status.

Shehla Zia of the Aurat Foundation said that women should get their due share in the political process and the time was changing as recently in the Balochistan Assembly a resolution was passed against the practice of honour killing and in other provincial assemblies issues related to women were being raised by the parliamentarians.