City Desk
Islamabad :The 19th Annual Rural Women Leadership Training Conference organized by PODA concluded in Islamabad with 2,000 women leaders from 120 districts, including four provinces, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, adopting a comprehensive resolution demanding rights, dignity and equal opportunities.
The conference themed “Women with Disabilities Driving Inclusive Change and Leadership” stressed mindset change as the main hurdle to inclusion.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said women’s empowerment needs rights recognition, challenging discriminatory norms and law implementation. He highlighted education, inheritance, protection from harassment and domestic violence, mental health support, and economic participation. He called for zero tolerance for victim-blaming and online harassment, pledged support for access to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, and offered to form a committee to review the Charter of Demands.
Sindh Minister for Women Development Shaheena Sher Ali said Sindh issued its first Kisan Card to a woman, provided house ownership to one million women with 1.3 million more to follow, and highlighted Pink Bus, women taxi scheme, Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013, reserved seats for transgender persons, and transgender lawyers.
Other speakers included Munazza Gillani of Sightsavers who flagged lack of disability data, psychologist Naima Hassan who urged positive language, Abia Akram of National Forum of Women with Disabilities, Imrana Rubab of Social Welfare Punjab, and Amal Basha of Sisters Arabic Forum, Egypt, who listed five pitfalls weakening women’s movements.
Italian Cooperation Head Paolo Gallizioli and Dr. Francesco De Musso highlighted the olive cultivation project across 60+ districts with 36 Olive Business Development Groups empowering women farmers.
The resolution demanded birth registration for girls, B-Form, CNIC and voter registration, penalties for delays, NADRA camps in girls’ schools, 100% girls’ enrolment, accessible voting for women with disabilities, GBV prevention in climate policies, recognizing women field workers as farmers, state land for landless women, interest-free loans, training in olive farming, AI and cybersecurity, anti-harassment enforcement, accessible buildings, minimum marriage age 18, property rights, protection of minority women, mental health counselling, and Women Resource Hubs at district and union council levels.
