The first ever National conference on World Rural Women's Day (WRWD) will be observed on Wednesday as women from all over the country will participate. The joint initiative of Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy (Poda), Action-Aid, CIDA, Lok-Virsa and Unifem aims to bring their voices in the forefront and mobilise them to claim to achieve women's rightful place in the society.
Since the UN General Assembly declared October 15 as WRW Day, some 57 countries of the world have been celebrating this day on national level. Pakistan is an exception where more than half of our population comprises women that live and work in rural set-up, work on fields and in homes but their issues remain neglected due to ignorance.
The conference comprises consultations and discussions on pertinent issues facing rural women mainly economy, food security and recognition of women farmer's rights, agricultural education, discrimination against rural girls, land rights and access to justice for rural women. The discussions will also emphasise standards of the rights of rural women and status of their implementation in Pakistan.
Participating organisations will launch their new initiatives, programmes and publications with regard to rural women's issues on this occasion. Action-Aid will launch its "Hunger-FREE Women" Campaign while Poda will introduce an educational poster, poetry collection and special publication on the women's rights' struggle. Spokesperson of one of the participating organisations shared that this historic event will prove to be a milestone in women's rights struggle which will enable them to gain respect, recognition and confidence.