CCHD seminar calls for educating women

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA Speakers at a dialogue forum on “Gender mainstreaming through media” stressed upon the need that women should be given education which would not only empower them in the society but also make them aware of their rights.

The forum was organized by Citizen’s Commission for Human Development with the collaboration of Canadian International Development Agency, Asian Development Bank and Development Support Programme, at a local hotel here on Monday.

Addressing to the participants, Jan Ali Changazai, Balochistan Minister for presidential Package & Quality Education, said that Balochistan had been denied of its due share in its resources owing to which population of Balochistan which was mostly scattered could not be developed.

He said that women had been ignored in every sphere of life in the country for the last six decades and added that had they been given their due rights, the country would have made progress to a great extent. “We are still hopeful, we can bring a change in our society and can empower the women through education”, he added.

Balochistan Minister said that there were 11,000 thousand schools across the province while number of teachers is mere 42, 000 owing to which education sector is not improving. “There are many schools where only one teacher is available”,  Changaizai remarked.

Former President of National Party (NP) Doctor Abdul Hayee Baloch, said that until and unless oppressed nations were given their genuine rights, we could not bring any improvement in our society.

He regretted that that establishment accepted the separation of East Pakistan but did not grant them their basic rights. “A large number of male and female Balochs have been missing or killed and the barbarism is still continuing in the province”, he alleged.

Criticsing the government, he said the incidents of kidnapping for ransom were on the rise, energy crisis had destroyed agriculture sector while law and order situation had been deteriorated that made the life of people difficult.

Dr. Hayee condemned the acts of throwing acid on girls in different towns of Balochistan and said: “I agree that some people in Baloch society do not give share to the women in property but any kind of violence against women is strongly condemned in Baloch society”.

He said that educational institutions should be constructed for the boys and girls in remote and far flung areas so that they could be educated and become aware of their rights.

Dr. Ishaq Baloch, leader of National Party, said that it was the responsibility of the state to pay attention towards the problems of women, but unfortunately except some NGOs government was not focusing on women issues.

He said that there was a group in our society which did not want emancipation of women and considered women hurdle and believed that if women were empowered and educated they would not follow their instructions.

NP leader said that there was no hurdle in the way of progress of women in Balochistan as they were largely contributing in Baloch movement by holding strike camps and rallies for their rights.

“We have to boost education on revolutionary basis and along with education we will have to take steps for the capacity building of women”, he added.

Former, MPA, Dr. Shama Ishaq criticised that women were not being given their due share in property and mostly subjected of discrimination.

She said that government was not serious to redress the grievances of Baloch women and only making tall claims.

Yasmin Lehri, said that Remote areas of Balochistan were lacking middle and high schools and health facilities due to which every year a large number of women die during pregnancy.