Nawabshah: (Press Release) On the occasion of International Day of Rural Women, NDF Pakistan Director and Focal Person PODA Pakistan Ms. Saira Abid Lashari ,PPP Ladies Wing President Qamar Nisa Dhamrah and Nusrat Chandio held an important press conference at Nawabshah Press Club.
They emphasized the need to grant basic rights to rural women. Ms. Saira Abid Lashari said that 15th October is the international Day of Rural Women, is being celebrated all over the world But rural women are still deprived of their rights. It was demanded to declare this day as the national day of rural women by the Federal Government with all territories.
Such press briefings are being held in more than 70 districts of the country by rural women leaders through the platform of PODA Pakistan Dehi Aurat Ittehad. It was urged to o increase women’s representation in decision-making bodies at each district level, such as reconciliation and peace committees and voter training committees, to promote equality immediately.
The women should be represented by 50% in the system of local governments and by enabling this system of governments in all provinces, local elections should be held as soon as possible in Punjab, especially to prevent increasing violence against women and children.
Community level awareness campaign and training of police officials and the laws against domestic violence should be tightened and their implementation should be ensured, additionaly, shelter homes should be established.
The government should recognize women engaged in agriculture as farmers like men so that they can benefit from government agricultural schemes, incentives, and other facilities. It was urged to ensure women’s participation in land ownership and inheritance and the women staff should be recruited in Land Record Centers as Patwari and others.
The process of unionization and registration of women farmers under the 2019 Act in Sindh should be made easier and implemented in other provinces as well. Business centers should be established in all districts for skilled women and display centers and markets should be established to sell the products produced there.
Easy loans should also be provided to skilled women and government institutions and national and international NGOs should pay special attention to consulting rural women in decisions and practical steps to achieve climate change related measures and goals and local women’s organizations should be included in plantation campaigns.
Such crops should also be introduced which have more resilient against climate change. Actions should be taken by the government to improve the awareness and facilities the rural women and girls regarding reproductive health and information about nutrition and health and hygiene should be given in high schools.
Government to ensure active birth registration of girl child through NADRA and issuance of identity card at the age of 18 years. By ensuring access to quality education for rural women and girls, they should be given free education after matriculation so that they do not drop out due to financial difficulties, as under Article 25-A of the Constitution for children between the ages of 05 and 16 years. Free education is the responsibility of the state.
Girls and rural women should be given digital education and awareness according to the modern era. To discourage early marriage in the country, the minimum age of marriage for girls should be 18 years in other provinces like Sindh And for this, the condition of the identity card should be made mandatory by making legislation and those parents and scholars who marry girls at a young age.
Punishment should be fixed for them. Police officials should be made aware of the laws designed to protect girls and women and they should be trained in the correct investigation of sexual crimes so that crimes can be reduced. Lastly For the mental and physical health and confidence of girls and girls, they should be trained in exercise, sports and self-defense, and along with the provision of spaces and facilities for sports.