Empowering Women Not Man Vs Woman: Speakers

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Feb, 2020 ) :Speakers in a symposium on Thursday said that women's empowerment should not be considered as man vs woman or West vs East, it was just like giving due rights to all human beings which they deserved.

They said that there was a need to remove cultural barriers to give space to women and they should also learn to respect other women as well.

The symposium titled "Women's Economic Empowerment: Evidence-Based Policy" was organized here at PU Law College Auditorium, on Thursday.

PU Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmad, Memebrs Provincial Assembly Massarat Jamshed Cheema, University of Home Economics VC Prof Dr Kanwal Ameen, University of Okara VC Prof Dr Zakria Zakar, Chairman Department of Economics Prof Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry, Dr Rubina Zakar, civil society members, faculty members and a large number of students participated in the event.

Addressing the symposium, Prof Niaz Ahmad said said the PU administration had also appointed female faculty members as dean and heads of institutions under faculty of behavioral and social sciences.

He said that the situation regarding women's rights in Pakistan was far better than some years ago.

He said that now it was the time of survival of the fittest so whoever was the best, he or she would make his or her place.

MPA Massarat Jamshed Cheema said that women should be strengthened in Pakistan and they should work shoulder-to-shoulder along with the men. She said, "If we promote the idea of partnership instead of competition and avoid the thinking of men versus women, we could get better results." Massarat said the government was working for the welfare of women and since females were good in number in the parliaments and they were now making laws for the rights of women.

University of Home Economics VC Prof Dr Kanwal Ameen said that it was the need of the hour to provide safe and hygienic environment to women. She said that economic empowerment of women did not guarantee that they were really empowered and getting rights. For instance, she said, maids working at homes earned for their husbands who were mostly addicts. She said that still they were often beaten by their husbands.

Okara University VC Prof Dr Zakria Zakar said that around 70 percent students of Okara University consisted of females who also performed their domestic jobs as well. He said that women should also help other women and take care of their rights.

Prof Dr Mumtaz Anwar Chaudhry said that PU would continue to provide guidelines on national affairs. He said that PU Department of Economics had organized this program for socio-economic empowerment of women.