PESHAWAR, Dec 17: Expressing concern over non-launching of women development projects by the local councils, a workshop on Monday urged Nazims and councillors to highlight these issues at their respective sessions.

The participants asked the Nazims of district, town, tehsil and union councils to pay attention to women councillors during the councils’ sessions so that they could properly raise the problems being faced by women.

The provincial workshop on “leadership development for effective women councillors” was arranged by the Aurat Foundation and GTZ. The district Nazims of Peshawar, Kohat and Karak, Azam Afridi, Malik Asad and Sharif Khattak, respectively; the Nazim of Sarband union council, Ibadatullah Khan; District Councillor Shamim Qaiser Khan and others spoke.

Mr Afridi regretted that women councillors rarely raised any issue. He said that time and again he had reminded the women that instead of raising problems of drinking water, street repair and drains — which were already being taken up by the male counillors — they should highlight the women’s issues.

Rakhshanda Naz complained that in some of the districts the Nazims had asked the female councillors to keep silent during the sessions. She regretted that women members were not even extended invitation for the council sessions and meetings of various committees.

Ibadatullah pointed out that the qualification of a majority of Nazims was only matric and most of the councillors could not understand the Local Government Ordinance, 2001, as its language was tough.