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PotoharOrganization for Development Advocacy(PODA)
5thAnnual Conference on Rural Women Day – Islamabad – Pakistan
Rural Women Demand “Sadda Huq – Manshoor wich Rakh”
Monday 15th October 2012 (Islamabad): Over 1000 rural women gathered at Lok Virsa, Islamabad on Monday 15th to continue their struggle for the rights and recognition of women in Pakistan. Organized by Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA) along with 37 partner organizations, the two days conference demanded that all political parties must prioritize the issue of rural women in coming elections. Rural women presented a manifesto prepared by them during the conference and demanded for their political, social and basic human rights and economic rights.
Mrs.
Samina Khalid Ghurki , Federal Minister for National Heritage and Integration
emphasized that rural women play a vital role in the economy of Pakistan. She
congratulated PODA for bringing all rural women from all over the Pakistan
together to set up a platform for them to raise their voice. Rural women should
speak up for the issues and their manifesto will be included in their policy.
Dr.
Nafeesa Shah, MNA PPP and Secretary Women parliamentary Caucus said that girls’
education and health should be our priority. She appreciated Malala’s struggle
for peace and promotion of education for girls. She said that Malala is a great
asset of Pakistan and the protection of such brave and courageous young peace
activists is our prime responsibility. Mentioning the vision of Shaheed
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, she said that Bhutto had raised her voice to eradicate
dictatorship.
Mrs.
Rubina Rauf Khalid, Senator PPP congratulated PODA for highlighting this
auspicious day of rural women and commented that rural women’s manifestos are a
part of many legislations passed. She said that we should keep on with our
struggles for rural women rights and peace building. She said Malala message
must be continued and renewed.
Mrs.
Tahira Aurangzeb MNA – PML (N) saluted all the rural women for working hard in
the fields, at their houses, in the factories without any recognition and
reward. She said that rural women should prioritize their health first. If our
rural women are healthy, we will have a healthy Pakistan.
Mrs.
Zakia Shahnawaz (PML-N), Advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab came especially
from Lahore to be with the rural women who came from all parts of Pakistan. She
said that the problems of rural women are same everywhere in Pakistan so
therefore we must united to work together to overcome the obstacles that
restrict rural women. She said we should
always think as Pakistanis and work for all Pakistani women. She invited the
PODA to organize similar gatherings in Punjab.
Mrs.
Ghazla Gola, Minister of Women Development in Balochistan also spoke. Minister
Gola said the democratic government of PPP has always supported the rights of
rural women and enacted policies to ensure protection of women. She said the
democratic governments give space to rural women to speak out and add their
voice to the matters of the country.
Mrs.
Touqeeer Fatima Bhutto, Minister of Women Development Sindh said that rural
women of Pakistan are the guardians of democracy and economic development in
Pakistan. The political parties must
support them. She said that Pakistani elections will be incomplete without
women.
Mrs. Sitara Ayaz, Minister of Women
Development, Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa could not come but she sent a special message
that was read at the conference. Mr. Kevin Kalleghar, Country representative of
FAO, United Nations Agricultural Program in Pakistan. He said that FAO is
preparing a special program for rural women farmers of Pakistan where all the
resources will be allocated to women farmers support.
All
rural women came to the conclusion that they will keep struggling for their
rights. Rural Women leaders and Rural Women supporters were awarded by PODA and
other conference partner organizations.
The
rural women made a slogan that was chanted all day “ Saada Huqq – Manshoor wich Rakh”
meaning “put our rights in the manifestos”. Women have come as far as Hunza-Gojal
and Tharparker, from Rajan-pur to FATA and from Naseerabad in Balochistan to
Bagh in Kashmir. The conference was attended by over 1000 women from 85
districts of Pakistan. Sameena Nazir,
Executive Director PODA in her opening remarks said that “unless the rural
women and girls are safe and prosperous, Pakistan cannot progress. It is the
rural women of Pakistan who cultivate life for everyone”, she said. Mr. Khalid
Javaid, Executive Director Lok Virsa welcomed the guests. Solidarity messages
were sent from government of Norway, Canada and EU. A special solidarity
message was sent from Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fahimda Mirza who could not
come to the conference. Women senators represented her.
The
rural women showed their anger on the attack on Malala – the 14 year old girl
child and said that they will continue her struggle for the rights of the girl
child and for promotion of education in Pakistan”. The gathering of over 1000
rural women shouted” We are all Malala–Malala is our daughter”.
The
conference was also addressed by Ms. Aqsa Khan, Director WORD, Mrs. Mahnaz
Aziz, Executive Director Children Global Network, Ms. Anbreen Aajaib, Advisor
SPO, Dr. Azra Talat Saeed, Director Roots for Equity, Mrs. Salma Khalid,
Manager, Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN), Mrs. Rehana Hashmi-Sisters
Trust Pakistan, Ms. Uzma Tahir-ActionAid Pakistan, Mr. Saleem Malik- Executive
Director Bedari, Mr. Muhammad Tehseen, Director SAP-PK, Mr. Asad Rehman,
Director Sungi, also spoke and supported
the rural women’s recommendations.
On
the first day of the conference the rural women made a Manifesto of their
rights that should be added in the manifestos of all political parties:
On
the second day of the conference, the session started with political rights of
women: issues, challenges and Opportunities. The session was jointly organized
by Women Parliamentarian Caucus (WPC). The women parliamentarians listened to
the rural women and made commitments to include their demands in their party
manifesto.
The
rural women presented their manifesto and highlighted the following points:
Political Manifesto of Rural Women –
2012
Today,
we Pakistani women strongly condemn that we suffer from social, political and
economic crisis and we do not have access to basic human rights. To eradicate
these unjust and unfair treatments, the rural women of Pakistan have vowed to
stand up and struggle for themselves. In PODA’s 5th Annual
conference on the “International day of rural Women”, rural women from 85
different districts of Pakistan have jointly prepared a manifesto. This
manifesto belongs to the rural women of Pakistan. This manifesto highlights the
social, political and economic rights of the rural women. Further, this
manifesto ensures that these rights are delivered to the rural women.
Today,
the rural women of Pakistan vow that they will leave no stone unturned to
ensure that this manifesto is implemented. In this context, we would like to
present the key points of this manifesto to all representatives of Government
of Pakistan so that they can incorporate our demands into their manifestos and
take appropriate measures to fulfill our basic human rights. We, the rural
women of Pakistan demand that:-
Political Rights
1.
Women must be given the
right to vote. Political parties and government institutions must ensure the
proper and valid voter registration of rural women. No women above the age of
18 must not be deprived of the right of vote.
2.
Women should NOT be
stopped under any circumstances from casting votes. In the event of women being
stopped from casting their votes, the polling station results should be
cancelled. Legal actions should be taken against all those who prevent women
from casting their votes.
3.
Women’s representation in
the Parliament and the Senate must be ensured at a minimum of 33 % and at most
50%
4.
Women should be granted a
bare minimum of 33% tickets by political parties during General Seats
elections.
5. Every woman must be issued a
Computerized National Identification Card.
Social and Basic
Human Rights
6.
All political parties
include steps to end violence against women so that domestic violence,
religious extremism, honor killing and all other crimes against women can be
halted.
7.
Women’s right to land
must be ensured in all parts of Pakistan including Gilgit-Baltistan.
8.
Women and Girl child
trafficking must be outlawed.
9.
Educational curriculum
must be altered to promote women’s rights.
10. All women protection laws must be
implemented.
11. Policies should be prepared to end
religious extremism.
12. Police system should be improved in
rural areas.
13. Women and youth working for the
promotion and protection of other women and girl childs should be given
protection.
14. Minority and disabled women should
also be provided all the above mentioned rights at all levels.
15. Special
laws should be introduced for political, social and economical rights
protection of old age women.
Economical Rights: Rural women must be included in all
agriculture development projects. Rural women land owners should be provided
with water resources. And interest free loan schemes should be introduced for
them.
16. Women must be provided with education
and skills development in order to reduce poverty for them. They should be
given land rights.
17. In accordance with Article 25-A of
free and compulsory education, women should be provided education and a minimum
of 15% budget should be allotted to rural women education.
18. In every district, budget must be
allocated for rural women development.
19. Policies should be made for farmer,
laborer and fisher women its implementation must be guaranteed.
20. Women working in agriculture should be
considered as ‘Farmers’ and should be provided with subsidies.
21. Farmer women must be given 1-14 Acers
of land for free.
22. Pakistani agriculture land should not
be given to foreign companies and governments.
23. FATA must be included as a national
circle so that women from FATA can also benefit from Pakistani women protection
laws.
For more information contact Aniq Raza (051) 260-9743 or
(0345) 564-3363 or aniqa.poda@gmail.com.
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