KHAIRPUR: International Women’s Day was commemorated at Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur on Wednesday.
A Seminar on the “Gender Gap” was organized by the Institute of Gender Studies. Professor Dr. Parveen Shah the Vice Chancellor of SALU, Khairpur presided over the seminar while Barrister Shahida Jamil, Former Provincial Minister for Education & Law and women’s rights activist was the chief guest at the occasion. Ms. Sadiqa Salahuddin Executive Director of the Indus Resource Centre and Ms. Ruqqaiya Laghari, Regional Program Manager of the SRSO were the guests of honor. Speaking on this occasion, Prof. Dr. Parveen Shah said gender equity is not just about economic empowerment but it is a moral imperative. She said fairness and equality includes all dimensions; the political, social, and cultural. Pakistan is country where feudalism is in power and exercised by the feudalistic, aristocratic lords.
She believed that we all must work together for the empowerment of women. Improving maternal health and empowering women through innovative technologies and the history of women’s struggle belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but the collective efforts of all who those care about human rights.
The Vice Chancellor affirmed that women are a neglected segment of society. The prevailing gender gap means women are denied their basic right to inheritance, vote, education, health, economic, and political empowerment.
Barrister Shahida Jamil asserted that the 1860 British Laws related to the protection of women were justified, with rigorous punishment given to those responsible for honor killings. During dictatorial regimes, discriminatory laws were introduced and implemented against women. It is the need of the hour for a flexible culture to be promoted. She believed that honor killings were committed for the purpose of taking possession of agricultural land, or for marriage, and for the ego. Jamil quoted Sufi poet Shah Latif’s message to eradicate the woes of women.
