A seminar on Democracy and Empowerment of Women was held in a local hotel in Lahore on Tuesday, organized by South Asia Partnership Pakistan in collaboration with Aurat Foundation.
A large number of representatives of various political parties, representatives of welfare organizations and people associated with civil society participated in the seminar.
District Program Jazba Gul Mehr, while highlighting the aims and objectives of the seminar, said that women’s participation must be ensured at every forum. In the seminar, a charter of demand was also presented about the rights of women etc. protection of transgenders in the manifesto of political parties, the establishment of the National Commission on the Status of Women, the Provincial Commission on the Status of Women, Including representatives of civil society in government committees formed at the provincial and government levels, providing constitutional protection to local governments, 50 percent representation of women in the seats of youth, minority and peasant labor, women in the central executive committee and provincial, Inclusion, representation of women in strong constituencies on five percent general quota seats, giving opportunity to minority representatives to contest elections on general seats, each party issue election tickets to fifty percent youth and ensure inclusion of women in its wings of political parties was included in main points of Chartered of Demand. The representative of Jamaat-e-Islami, Samina Saeed, expressed her views and said that supremacy of Quran and Sunnah is the manifesto of our party, while Islamic and welfare state should be the agenda of all. Tehreek-e-Insaaf leader, Dr Nosheen said that every party must ensure the protection of women and other rights. Women have to be empowered from the grassroots, while women have proved their worth in all fields. Local government expert Zahid Islam informed the participants about the structure of local government and told about the usefulness of local government. The District Election Commissioner also emphasized on the local government system. PML-N representative Kanwal Liaquat said that making women an integral part of the local government system is the solution to all problems. the inclusion of women should be made mandatory in every sector. Ammar Ali Jan, the head of the new youth party, Huqq Khalq Party, said that the founder of Pakistan’s first movement was Fatima Jinnah. We all have to change our thinking. The speakers appreciated the efforts of South Asia Partnership Pakistan and paid tribute to the efforts of Executive Director Muhammad Tahsin.