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Three-day workshop for journalists concludes

By Zahiruddin

CHITRAL: Regional programme manager of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, Chitral Engineer Sardar Ayub has said that women folk in Chitral enjoy a comparatively a greater degree of fair treatment than its other neighboring areas but still face some common problems which can be cured easily. Addressing the concluding ceremony of the three-day workshop for local journalists on ‘women’s rights’ under the aegis of Regional Women Empowerment Programme (RWEP) here on Sunday, he said that media has the prime responsibility of exposing the excesses perpetrated on the weaker sex. He said that the women in Chitral have entered every sphere of every day life activities, which were hitherto a taboo for them. He said that the women have proved their mettle in field of activity especially in the field of education. Mr. Ayub said that the women in Chitral are also striving for political and economic empowerment and trying hard to cross the barriers for which they must be extended support. The facilitator of the workshop Dr. Inayatullah Faizi elaborated in detail the situation of women rights in Chitral and said that media must play its due role to disseminate the knowledge about women rights and their protection. Enumerating the problems of the women folk in Chitral society, he said that domestic violence, forced marriage and denial to education facility are the factors leading to the incidents of suicide of girls. He said that there are many rights of women which the society is denying to them as a whole for which mass scale awareness is required and without the active support of media, it is not possible. Imtiaz Ahmed, the coordinator of RWEP said that the Irish government funded project is meant to bring about a tangible change in the lives of women of this backward district. He said that empowerment of women in different walks of life is a challenge for which all the segments of society must contribute while media has primary role in it.