Altaf Hamid Rao.
MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times): Women participation at both micro and macro levels empowers them to develop the ability and the competence to counter conflicts peacefully.
“Without a vocal approach and constructive intervention, it is difficult to aspirational women to act as leaders and change-makers,” said National Defence University (NDU)’s Professor Dr Shaheen Akhtar here on Tuesday.
She was leading a day~ long capacity ~ building training workshop, hosted by AJK~based world~fame Kashmiri think~tank, NGO, Center for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR).
Our Special AJK Correspondent Altaf Hamid RAO reports from Mirpur that the grand event was attended by 25 Azad Jammu and Kashmiri ladies. Dr. Akhtar emphasised the necessity of structural reforms and policies in advancing women’s participation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s socioeconomic life.
Dr. Shaheen was of the view that the impact of Kashmir conflict circumscribed women majority in drafting and execution of the strategic plans embodying the policy-making and hampers their functioning in numerous other core spaces. In this background, empowering women in crisis must be one of the most important task. She underlined the need to develop a network of established women mediators who can run advocacy campaign to raise the about the inclusion of women all platforms, particularly in decision-making and employment opportunities.
“It is vital to recognize the contribution and efforts of women in the peace-making process for meaningful results as they constitute 49% of the Azad Jammu Kashmir Population”, she emphasized.
Dr Akhtar also specified that the very existence of empowered women demands for the termination of the conventional patriarchal practices for befitting governance. Their representation requires acceptability and substantial validity for participation and ratified output.
Unfortunately, due to socio-cultural and financial constraints, women of Azad Kashmir question their strength otherwise they possess massive potential to underline their inclusion in the peace-making and conflict resolution process by being effective mediators.
Addressing the ceremony, President of CPDR, Zulfiqar Abbasi, stated that CPDR seeks to advance gender-sensitive and inclusive policies to assist social and economic reform in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, he suggested that numerous projects be started in order to empower women through skill development courses and dispute resolution training in order to enhance their socioeconomic standing. According to Abbasi, no nation has ever advanced economically or socially without empowering its women; putting women behind will keep the nation behind.
Ershad Mahmud, Executive Director of CPDR, while addressing the event, said “women’s involvement and participation may be ensured through educating and empowering them at various levels. He claimed that although the empowerment of women is currently receiving some attention from the authorities in AJK, more thorough research is still required to fully comprehend the reality of women’s access to healthcare, jobs, and education”.
Manal Sohail, Anthropologist and the Communication Specialist, BRET Solutions, discussed the aspects of individual’s wellbeing through self-awareness agenda, and how it helps to illuminates the blind spots. She reflected on the fact that better decision, creativity and collaborative initiative hail from the self-confident individuals and emboldened women can be source of a true global inspiration.
She indicated the importance of enhanced social and cultural learning to interact, develop objective and thoughtful women leaders to confute the societal stereotypes. Her focus on the living a well-balanced-life reflected the need to expand knowledge and behaviors.
“Women in Azad Kashmir are aware of their potential and skills. The core idea is to activate their intrinsic traits for pronounced representation and better outcomes”. She observed.
She helped the participants prioritize their fundamental rights and growth traits that ought to enable them in building an unbiassed society, particularly in the conflicted regions.
Several women from various parts of Azad Kashmir voiced multiple issues like lack of resources, the unlawful prejudice, limiting their political participation, employment opportunities healthcare, conveyance, and other facilities that distract them for accomplishing their goals.
While discussing the creation of institutional framework, Asma Ali Shan challenged the traditional dynamics of the society that generally overlooked the perspective of gender. Asma Ali observed, “Such a worldview increases the sorrow and desperation among the abandoned people.”
Another participant, Afifa Awais, stated that women in Kashmir understand the notion of peace in the most realistic way. Their propensity for fostering nonviolent societies through peacemaking, mediation, and negotiation processes characterises their desire to advance peacefully.
Irtaza Muhmmad, a Programme Officer at CPDR, while speaking on this occasion, underlined that Kashmiri women were gradually advancing in every aspect of life. 31 women ran for office in the most recent local government elections, and some of them won against fierce competition, shocking political watchers worldwide.
Dr. Shaheen Akhtar and Manal Sohail distributed certificates to participants as the session came to a close.
