KARACHI, June 30: Speakers at a seminar emphasised on Wednesday the need for enhanced coordination between non- governmental organizations and elected women representatives to address gender discrimination issues and collect comprehensive data about the cases of violence against women.

The seminar on "Evolving Gender Sensitive Issues" was organized by the Sindh Women Development Department here at a local hotel. Former law minister Barrister Shahida Jamil; Women Development Department Director Farzana Salim; Women Prison Superintendent Sheeba Shah; renowned activist of Pakistan Movement, Tazeen Faridi; and others spoke at the seminar.

The speakers were of the view that the time had come to promote coordination between various government and non- government organizations as well as institutions to address the issue in befitting manner. Efforts should be aimed at removing weaknesses and loopholes in legislation concerning women development, they added.

In her keynote address, Barrister Shahida Jamil observed that problems being faced by women were immense, but, the worst area for women was "access to justice". However, she said, lack of awareness in womenfolk about their rights was the main cause of all the discrimination being committed against them.

"A woman does not know to approach the courts when she is subjected to any kind of injustice. Women are deprived from their due rights, but, they are helpless to knock the doors of justice to gain their rights," she added.

Shahida Jamil noted that unless women were empowered economically, the trend of discrimination against them would continue unabated. "Islam has empowered woman financially in the shape of Mehr to strength her financially," she said and regretted that wrong interpretation of the same had deprived many from it.

She said that Islam had given the right of contract, share from inherited property and many other rights to women, but, unfortunately these injunctions of the religion were not complied with in this society.

She said that the discriminating laws concerning women should immediately be reviewed, as the same were brining bad name to Islam, which actually guaranteed all rights to them.

Barrister Shahida Jamil was critical of methods adopted to create awareness among women about their rights. She said that such methods had alienated the families and failed to serve the purpose.

"Strategies of communication and campaigns for creating awareness among women need to be redesigned with greater participation of men, as majority of them are quite responsive and cooperative in this regard," she added.

Highlighting various projects being carried out under the women development department, Farzana Salim stressed for a multi- sectoral integrated approach to address gender issues.

She said that the social audit on abuses against women, conducted on scientific lines, had confirmed the discrimination and injustices against women. Begum Tazeen Faridi was of the view that women should understand their problems on their own and come up with solutions.

"Lady councillors can play vital role to create awareness among women as they are more closed to them," she said. She suggested that research programmes about women problems should be conducted, which would help solve major problems being faced women. - PPI