The resource persons of 3-days orientation workshop titled "Human Rights Education and Capacity Building for Women Empowerment" call upon the government to take immediate measures for the eradication of religious and cultural traditions against women, introduce laws against gender based violence, repeal discriminatory laws against women and constitute educational and technical institutions for the empowerment of women.
Father Nisar Barkat (Director-NCJP), Father Khalid Rasheed Asi (Director-Youth Commission), Father Aftab James Paul (Director-Commission for Inter-religious dialogue), Anthony Matthew (Executive Secretary-AIM), Sebastian Justin, Sheeba Advocate, Naila Arooj and Aqsa Kanwal were among the facilitators of the training held at the Centre for Peace and Harmony in Faisalabad.
30 Muslim and Christian participants including teachers, students, social workers and representatives of civil society organisations actively participated. Father Nisar Barkat said, "Women face several problems in almost all social, economic, educational and political fields of life, because distinction between man and woman is made in the wake of culture and social typical attitudes." Therefore, empowerment of women is the only solution to the development of society in general and Pakistan in particular.
Father Khalid Rasheed Asi said, "Women empowerment is possible unless women are allowed to take decisions of their own lives, to take part in political process, to engage in decision making and development process."
Father Aftab James Paul said, "Dialogue is the only way for the end of extremism and for the establishment of peace and harmony in the country, by which values of love, acceptance, tolerance and union can be promoted.
Sheeba Advocate said, "Government should regard the ratified United Nations convention on the elimination of all forms of discriminations against women (CEDAW) and should ensure its implementation. "Change in the social attitudes towards women is impossible without ensuring biases and discriminations on the basis of sex and gender in the laws, policies, curriculum and tradition", she added.
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