NAWABSHAH  -  National disability and development forum (NDF) has demanded establishment of business centre for skilled women at district level.

On the occasion of International Day of Rural Women, NDF Pakistan Director and Focal Person PODA Pakistan Ms Saira Abid Lashari, PPP Ladies Wing President Qamar Nisa Dhamrah and Nusrat Chandio held an important press conference at Nawabshah Press Club.

Saira Abid Lashari said that 15th October is the international Day of Rural Women, being celebrated all over the world but rural women are still deprived of their rights.

She demanded to declare this day as the national day of rural women by the federal government with all territories.

Saira urged to increase women’s representation in decision-making bodies at each district level, such as reconciliation and peace committees and voter training committees, to promote equality immediately.

The women should be represented by 50 percent in the system of local governments and by enabling this system of governments in all provinces, local elections should be held as soon as possible in Punjab, especially to prevent increasing violence against women and children.

Easy loans should also be provided to skilled women and government institutions and national and international NGOs should pay special attention to consulting rural women in decisions and practical steps to achieve climate change related measures and goals and local women’s organisations should be included in plantation campaigns.

They urged government to ensure active birth registration of girl child through NADRA and issuance of identity card at the age of 18 years.

By ensuring access to quality education for rural women and girls, they should be given free education after matriculation so that they do not drop out due to financial difficulties, as under Article 25-A of the Constitution for children between the ages of 05 and 16 years free education is the responsibility of the state.

It was also demanded that girls and rural women should be given digital education and awareness according to the modern era. To discourage early marriage in the country, the minimum age of marriage for girls should be 18 years in other provinces like Sindh and for this, the condition of the identity card should be made mandatory by making legislation and those parents and scholars who marry girls at a young age.