ISLAMABAD: Women rights activists participating in the 9th Annual Conference on Rural Women Day in Pakistan stressed on the need to implement the laws which protect women and urged the government to initiate mechanisms that defend women’s rights.

The conference was organised by the Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy (Poda) at Lok Virsa on Wednesday to mark International Rural Women’s Day and more than a thousand women from across the country took part in the event.

Speaking at the event, the charge d’ affaires, European Union Delegation to Pakistan, Anne Marchal said the European Union will be funding €340 million worth of rural development projects for between the years 2014 and 2020, of which €102 million will be used for education and professional training.

“In order to empower women and girls, we have to ensure that their social and economic rights are protected and that they have access to and control over their resources. The ground work for [achieving this in] Pakistan has already been done as the [necessary legislation] does exist but further efforts are needed such as the implementation of the law of inheritance,” she said.

Also participating in the event was the Spanish ambassador, Carlos Morales, who said gender equality and women participation is important and a priority for the Spanish government.

Representatives from the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan said the conference was an opportunity for them to learn, interact and share their experiences, which enables them to work more effectively on similar problems when they return home.

Speakers at the various sessions said Pakistani women have made a lot of achievements and that the dream of an equitable society cannot be realised without the participation of rural women.

Therefore, they said, efforts should be made for educating rural women, making them aware of their rights and providing them with opportunities to grow.

Poda Executive Director Sameena Nazir said that Pakistan cannot progress effectively without the participation of women in the rural areas and demanded social security benefits for women farmers and the implementation of pro-women laws.

A member of the Parliamentary Caucus on Women, Surriya Amiruddin, said women will have to play their role in the elimination of anti-women practices such as early marriages, dowries and exchange marriages.

“We have to protect our daughters and sisters from such cruel customs,” she said.

Renowned writer and poet Kishwar Naheed recited a poem titled ‘Sun Re Saheli’ which she had written for the conference on rural women.

A member of the National Commission on Human Rights Anis Haroon concluded the session by saying that the struggle for women’s rights is an ongoing one.

Later, Ms Marchal also inaugurated a crafts exhibition where pieces made by rural women were displayed.

Published in Dawn October 20th, 2016