AMRAIZ KHAN
Lodhran Pilot Project and Azm e Pakistan organized the women peace conference 2022 on the eve of international women’s day.
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar was the chief guest. It was attended by 270 notable parliamentarians and representatives of civil society, academicians, international donors, students and other fields of life.
After various panel discussions 270 participants reached a 14 point joint declaration of the conference to make a roadmap of women development in Pakistan.
The joint declaration has urged to government to ensure at least 33 percent representation of trained women under the Azm-e- Nao Programme in dispute resolution committees, Amn Committees and health and education related platforms at each level of village councils, Punchayats and neighbourhood councils.
It further demanded establishing regional, provincial and national networks of organizations working on peace; 33 percent women employment quota in National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA); maximum representation in parliamentary committees; and allocation of funds for peacebuilding and tolerance.
The joint declaration demanded the government to making civic action and peace as part of the curriculum; devise efficient complaints mechanism under PERMA to stop hateful material; provide technical and financial support to organizations working on peace; and dealing of anti-women crimes by the law-enforcing agencies on a priority basis.
11th August should be commemorated as a national day of peace and tolerance in the light of Quaid-Azam’s historic address and Official holidays and incentives be announced on minority days.
The international donors, government and the NGOs should establish a central fund for pooling in resources for peace building in Pakistan, the joint declaration adds.
Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar Wednesday said that Sardar Usman Buzdar would continue holding the office of the Chief Minister as long as the party and its allies sided with him.
“It is the jurisdiction of Prime Minister Imran Khan to appoint Usman Buzdar as chief minister or remove him,” the governor said.
