Staff Reporter
A non-political forum and neutral body with representation of all segments of society named Women’s Peace Council has been launched by the Standing Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, and Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO).
Perveen Sarwar, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar’s wife, is the patron-in-chief of Women’s Peace Council.
She was the chief guest at the launch ceremony. The Women’s Peace Council aims to increase the role of women in all fields of life in bringing peace, development and resilience against violence and extremism in society. Provision of justice at all levels is essential for the establishment of a peaceful society.
The convener of the council, Uzma Kardar, informed the participants that a need was felt to institute the role of women in peace building so WPC was established.
The standing committee, Women’s Peace Council members and all Punjab Parliamentarians will work with the SSDO to make the platform functional. In future, through legislation, the Women’s Peace Council will become an institution.
The participants included Justice (r) Nasira Javed, the minister for Human Rights, Lahore College for Women University Vice-Chancellor Dr Bushra, University of Home Economics VC Dr Kanwal, MPA Bushra Anjum, Girls Guide Association Commissioner Sarwat Hamid, MPA Sadia Sohail Rana, MPA Asia Amjad, MPA Neelum Hayat, MPA Sabreena Javed, MPA Kanwal Pervez, MPA Uzma Qadri and the representatives from minorities and special persons.
Perveen Sarwar further said that she is grateful to the honorable parliamentarians, members of standing committees and SSDO for inviting her to the launching ceremony of Women Peace Council.
Commending the initiative, she said that the role of women towards peace needs to be strengthened by providing them adequate and sustained capacity building and technical support. Women have played prominent roles in peace process all around the globe.
The successful movements like The Women in Black in Yugoslavia, Women in Peace-building Network in West Africa show that the role of women towards peace and sustainable development is crucial.
Commenting about Pakistan, she said that women’s participation in conflict resolution and peace building remained very restricted largely because of explicit gender-based violence, unrelenting patriarchal norms, cultural pressures, and lack of resources and mostly because of unawareness about their significance in bringing peace.
