International Women’s Day themed “For all Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, Empowerment” was observed with great enthusiasm on Saturday in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This year’s theme emphasizes the importance of universal rights and opportunities, ensuring that every woman and girl can contribute to a more equitable future.
The most inspirational women that made Pakistani nation proud in history were included the sister of Father of the Nation, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, political stalwart, Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan, first women prime minister of the Muslim world Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, first youngest Nobel Peace Award winner 2014, Malala Yousafzai, labour right activist and recipient of Clinton global citizen award 2015, Syeda Ghulam Fatima, first lady pilot officer Shaheed Marium Mukhtar, first female goodwill ambassador by the United Nations entity for gender equality and empowerment of women, Muniba Mazari, first Pakistani to win two Oscar awards Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy besides first CM Woman in Punjab Maryam Nawaz and many others were shined in the country and world’s horizons making our head high.
Moreover, seminars, talk shows, debate competitions in education institutions and schools were also held on this day. Rallies were being held in different districts where speakers highlighted achievements and problems of women.
Busy like a honeybee in tailoring of women’s suits, Jamila Bibi (59), a seamstress of Pabbi, Nowshera district with scattered unstitched clothes, scissor and spools around her sewing machine, is working against the clock to meet the placed orders of the customers ahead of Eidul Fitr celebrations.
Unaware of International Women’s Day being observed in world including Pakistan here on Saturday, Jamila Bibi, who inherited the pain-sticking tailoring profession from her mother, was seen busy in measurement of ladies and children suits with measuring tape before its cutting to help her family in meeting the household expenses in the wake of high inflation and price-hike in Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
Enjoying ‘Sohani Dharti’ national song playing in the background at her room’s window by the radio, the motivated lady tailor told APP that she had entered the pain-sticking profession after untimely death of her mother few years ago and had been associated with it for the last 30 years.
“I learnt the art from my mother, who started sewing clothes for brides, children and relatives during occasions of marriages, engagements, Eid and birthday parties from a very young age,” Jamila, wearing eyes’ glasses , told APP with a smiling face.
Feeling proud of her family’s profession, she said, “presently I prefer to work on fancy suits of brides due to high profit margin as compare to normal stitching of ladies suits,” she said, adding she stitches three suits a day and in case of no electricity load-shedding, she could easily sew about six to eight suits per day.
“Presently, I am charging Rs500 for a normal suit and Rs1,000 for a designers’ suits against the prevailing market rate of Rs1,200 for normal and Rs2,000 designers suits,” she said, adding the cost of stitching material have increased manifold in the wake of high inflation and price-hike in KP.
Jamila said she was very happy in carrying forward the legacy of her mother as due to this profession she managed to educate her brothers from University of Peshawar, arranged their marriages and and was now planning to expand her business to Peshawar.
Apart from the government jobs, a woman can also prove her abilities in private profession and by starting her own business, which she said is more lucrative then the low paid jobs in public sector.
She complained that the eight to 10 hours power loadshedding in her home town were hindering her work and because of that the tailors’ community also faces economic losses, adding that she could earn more if the issue gets resolved.
Jamila said, “Pakistan had given us everything and now is the time that we can return for its progress and economic prosperity,”. Like Jamila, hundreds of thousands of women of Pakistan were playing a key role in the country’s development.
Najam Sahar, Director, Zamung Kor (our own house”) government Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was also among one of hundreds of thousands of talented working women of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, who was successfully supervising the project started to create an equitable and conducive environment to the disenfranchised, destitute and vulnerable children.
Taking to APP, she said under Zamong Kor model school system, different facilities including free education, accommodation and sports were being provided to disenfranchised and poor children of the province.
“Zamung Kor school was established in July 2016 with the capacity to hold about 1000 students with facilities of free books, uniform, bags and stationeries besides quality faculty and psychologists services.”
Besides legislation for protection against harassment of women at workplace, enforcement of women’s properties rights and establishment of women empowerment cell, the KP commission on the status of women (KPCWS) was formed to examine the policies, programs, implementation and other measures taken by the government for their development and ensuring gender equality.
Similarly, eight women shelter homes/darul aman, 235 industrial training centres, women hostels and a girls cadet college in Mardan were set up besides launching the first-ever KP women empowerment policy to protect rights of women and ensure their active participation in decision-making and development of Pakistan.
The federal government, under Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) was providing the much-needed assistance to each deserving registered woman under Benazir Kafalat Program (BKP), thus benefiting about millions of poor families.
BISP’s Naushonuma (growth) and education kafalat program were launched to counter stunting in women and children besides providing quality education to poor students irrespective of gender discrimination.
Under the Prime Minister’s youth business and agriculture loans schemes, the federal government has already announced interest free loan upto Rs5 lac, above Rs 0.5 million up to Rs 1.5 million on five percent markup in second category and above Rs 1.5 million upto Rs 7.5 million in seven percent markup rate in third category for financial and economic empowerment of youth including girls and women.
The spokesman of KP Information Commission said that he has ensured the equal participation of women imperative for a transparent and good governance system and provision of speedy information to them when and whenever required.
“The commission focuses on women’s active participation in its upcoming working plans of awareness on right to information law in the province and quick disposal of information upon request under the law for resolution of their issues,” he reiterated.
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