RAWALPINDI - A seminar to celebrate International Women’s Day 2020 under the theme “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights” was held at Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR), on Monday.
The seminar was organised by the PMAS-AAUR Directorate of Women Development Studies Centre (WDSC) in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICMOD) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations to highlight the role of women in society and to raise voice for ensuring their due rights in society.
Farida Rashid, President Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry was the chief guest while Mina Dowlatchahi, Country Director FAO, representatives of ICMOD including Kanwal Waqar, Haris Ayub, Muhammad Ismail, Dr. Nomeena Anis from FAO, Ayesha Khan, Fiza Qureshi, andMuhammad Sajid from Hashoo Foundation also addressed the participants of the seminar.
Rashid highlighted the rights of women and their work for the country and society. She advised female students to strengthen their capabilities and capacity to deal with the challenges to equally play role for the development of the country. She praised the PMAS-AAUR for organising an event on International Women’s Day at the campus.
Mina Dowltachi said that Pakistan has 53 per cent females of the total population and questioned that how a country can prosper where this segment was sidelined. In Pakistan, 75 per cent women, work in agriculture field as labourer where they are not being paid, she said. She further added that it is scientifically proven that women are better at multi-tasking than men so they should come forward and start on women’s rights from their homes.
While addressing the audience, Ayesha Khan said that Pakistan was placed at 151st position in the world in achieving Sustainable Development Goals so all sectors should come forward to achieve these goals.
During the seminar, Syed Parras, Dr. Nomeena and Ismail addressed and highlighted the malnutrition of children and mothers which is causing 50 per cent infant deaths of the total in Pakistan.