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Conference calls for end to discrimination against women

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: A conference on "Welfare of working women in the 21st century" was organised by the Women Wing of All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions here on Thursday. A resolution passed in the conference demanded of the government to raise human resources development, create gainful employment opportunities for women and abolish discrimination.

G. N Shuja, Chairperson, and Huma Naeem, Secretary, and other representatives of the women's trade union including Nagina, Prof. Aseya Akhtar, Arifa Jabeen and Naseem Akhtar addressed the conference.

The speakers were of the view that women in Pakistan, in both rural and urban areas, have been facing poverty due to inequalities in access to education and training.

The women are also facing discrimination in health care and social protection and related services as well as in the economic field. As a result, female literacy rate in Pakistan is one of the lowest in the world i.e., seven percent in rural and 17 percent in the urban areas.

Out of about 38 million strong labour force, women's share comes to about 12.2 percent in the rural areas and 16.6 percent in the urban centres. These facts indicate that only a limited number of women have access to remunerative employment while most of the women are unpaid domestic workers.

The society could not progress without ensuring equal opportunities in the field of education and training and the advancement of women at all levels.

The speakers observed that sexual harassment at work place and existing environmental conditions were also worth mentioning in the context of the difficulties faced by women.