4th Women’s Conference organized by Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi was grandly inaugurated with a drum circle performance.
Provincial Minister for Women Development Shehla Raza along with Anees Haroon, Noor ul Huda Shah, Qudsia Akbar, Dr. Jafar Ahmad, Fatima Hassan, Ghazi Salahuddin, Ejaz Farooqui, Kishwar Zahra, were present at the women conference.
Keynote Speaker Dr. Jafar Ahmed spoke on the topic of “Global Feminist Movement. An Overview” while Huma Mir performed the duties of Moderator, President Arts Council Muhammad Ahmad Shah said that women realize that begging will not get anything, they will have to struggle for it, Fatima Jinnah. Benazir was a role model. There is a great struggle for working women.
She went to jail, but she always raised her voice for legitimate and equal rights according to the constitution of Pakistan. which includes employment, education and health issues, unfortunately this did not happen, women in Pakistan got the right to vote first, when black women and children were not allowed to sit on buses in the United States, then the women of Pakistan had the right to vote, if we can’t get the rights of women, then we don’t deserve to be called a civilized nation.
Obstacles are also put in the name of religion, I salute the struggle of women, men should stand by the side of women and play their role. Provincial Minister for Women Development Syeda Shehla Raza Expressing that women will have to fight for their own protection, law is the weapon that you can use in times of trouble, society should know when and how to use this weapon.
It seems that women do not know that there is a law to protect them, she said child, man, woman or old, the law protects everyone, these are the wrong people who take your girls away from home. They are forcing to leave, don’t be afraid of these people, bring them forward, women have to stand up for their rights, nothing can happen until women raise their voice, women have to stop this violence themselves.
Key Note speaker and well-known writer Noor ul Huda Shah while speaking said that we keep our women oblivious to the world, she does not know what the outside world is. I am happy that today the majority of working women are present in the Women’s Conference. she said that when we speak loudly, half of the women are part of the system.
Yes, a feudal lord is not one who has a lot of land and property, it is a mind set, religion is used to strengthen the feudal mind set and system, she said that women are the root of society, our women. Unaware, On the first day of the Women’s Conference, sessions were held on “Natural Disasters, Climate Change and Women”, Youth Sessions, Lighting of Lamps If You See, “Celebrating Our Lives”, “Violence and Our Justice System”.
The participants had a lively discussion, a session was held on “Conversation with Sultana Siddiqui”, and at the end a mushaira was presented which was moderated by Ambareen Haseeb Ambar.