Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (Awam) organised three-day leadership training for achieving equal rights for women with disabilities. The prime objective of the training was to impart leadership skills among women with disabilities and enable them to speak up for their rights.
Thirty Muslim and Christian participants participated in the leadership training held at Centre for Peace and Harmony in Faisalabad. The resource persons of the training included Naseem Anthony (Executive Secretary-AWAM), Dr Zahida Naz, Abia Akram (Co-ordinator-STEP), Saima Williams (Co-ordinator-NCJP), Nazia Sardar, Shazia George and Mumtaz Kousar.
The participants in order to mainstream disability unanimously approved a resolution and called upon the government to: ratify the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) for addressing the problems and needs of persons with disabilities; take practical measures for making disability registration process easy, accessible and speedy in order to mitigate the sufferings of persons with disabilities; ensure strict implementation of all privileges, policies and legislation concerning persons with disabilities; eliminate the tariffs, duties and taxes imposed on assistive devices and vehicles for the persons with disabilities; take steps ensuring easy access to educational institutes, health facilities, rehabilitation centres, employment, transportation, government and public buildings, based on universally accepted standards for all persons with disabilities; repeal discriminatory laws against women such as Hudood Ordinance, Qisas and Diyat Ordinance and Qanoon-e-Shahadat, in order to give equality to women; outlaw customary and informal courts (Jirga/Panchayat) and take punitive actions against the violators.
Naseem Anthony said, "We must prefer engaging persons with disabilities in public life in order to enable them lead an independent and confident life, free of barriers and discrimination." Abia Akram said, "Persons with disabilities face discrimination, prejudice, hatred and injustice throughout their lives, therefore, it is imperative for the government to pay special attention towards resolves to the problems of persons with disabilities."