17th Annual Rural Women Leadership Training Conference, Islamabad:Addressing a vibrant audience of women from 130 districts representing four provinces and regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK at the 17th Annual Rural Women Leadership Training Conference organized by PODA, Dr. Shahida Rehmani, Chairperson of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, said, “No one except women understands their own issues and the solutions to those issues.” She said that she will raise the proposal to declare October 15th as ‘National Rural Women’s Day’ at the policy-making level on all available platforms.”At the Rural Women Conference, approximately 1,500 participants from 130 districts, representing 150 community-based organizations, came together to amplify a collective voice addressing core issues, including the alarming rates of gender-based violence and online and workplace sexual harassment. The speakers and rural women leaders unanimously advocated for the right to education, specifically Article 25-A of the Constitution, which guarantees education for children aged 5 to 16 years, viewing it as a vital safeguard against gender-based violence.The women leaders also called for declaring “agriculture fields as workplaces,” a step that would reduce discrimination against women farmers and enable them to receive their fair share of government policies and services, such as loanDuring the session, the Deputy Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, Ghazala Gola, shared her experience from Sohbatpur district, where women often lack individual status or identity. She informed the rural women leaders that her party is drafting a bill in the provincial assembly to raise the minimum marriage age for girls from 16 to 18.The first main strategy session focused on “Women’s Rights Commitments in Political Parties’ Manifestos 2024: Joint Review for Future Actions by Rural Women and Parliamentarians.” Women politicians and members of parliament from PPP, ANP, PML-N, JWP, and JI spoke on the subject, supporting the idea of women’s empowerment. Senior parliamentarian and PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar referred to the rural women leadership conference as a significant intellectual forum, urging that the thoughts and recommendations shared should not be neglected. He noted that this platform has amplified the voices of rural women and young girls.Women political workers from various parties called for immediate local government elections and for these local bodies to become fully functional and operational. They demanded representation in local bodies in line with their population proportions. Additionally, they highlighted gender discrimination and expressed the belief that eliminating such discrimination would bolster government efforts to combat religious extremism and improve the socio-economic status of women in the country.During the second strategy session of the day, titled “Legislation for 18 Years as Minimum Age of Marriage for Girls in Pakistan: Challenges and Opportunities,” the Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Pur Albert Ilsaas, addressed the women participants. He noted the upbeat mood of the conference, contrasting it with his usual experiences as a foreign diplomat in Islamabad, where he rarely sees women represented. He emphasized that the atmosphere at the conference was quite different.While discussing Pakistan’s challenges, he stated that increased women’s empowerment and participation in society could help resolve many of these issues more effectively. The ambassador highlighted his embassy and government’s collaboration with PODA on a program aimed at reducing early marriages and ensuring the right to sexual and reproductive health (SRHR).
He stressed that this collaboration reflects his government’s seriousness and commitment to the progress of Pakistan and women’s rights in particular.Advocate Khawaja Zahid Nasim provided an overview of the provincial laws on child marriage, identifying gaps in the current Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. Advocate Noureen Mumtaz Chattha presented the Islamic perspective supporting the legal amendment to raise the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18 years, particularly in Punjab.
A large number of women leaders raised their voices and articulated their concerns and demands during the sessions, advocating strongly for the rights of the girl child. A delegation of students representing Girls Guides-Pakistan also participated in the conference and expressed their appreciation for the role of PODA in working to protect the rights of girls through its efforts across the country.The European Union Delegation to Pakistan, the Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad, Care, Strengthening Participatory Organization, National Endowment for Democracy, SPARC, and CABI supported the three-day conference in Islamabad.
