FAISALABAD – All Pakistan Women Association (APWA) Faisalabad Chapter hosted a seminar titled “Violence against Women” in coordination with a non governmental organisation (NGO) ‘Women Crisis Centre’ (WCC) to have an in-depth analysis of women’s sufferings at the hands of their male counter parts.
The seminar held at the APWA building outside Karkhana Bazar was attended by the APWA executive board members, WCC members, women rights’ campaigners and a large number of women from all walks of society. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member National Assembly (MNA) Khalida Mansoor was the chief guest while WCC President Kaniz Ishaq conducted the program as a stage secretary.
Khalida Mansoor said it was unfortunate to note that the statistics of violence against women marked a significant increase in 2010 as compared to those of 2009 despite the efforts of the government and local NGOs. She added that 563 women were murdered in 2009 but in the first 10 months of 2010, this figure reached 665. General Secretary Anjum Alam Shah appealed to the women to become a part of APWA and help the organisation in promoting the cause of the women through their efforts.
Kaneez Ishaq presented the details of gender study in Pakistan and said that women were subjected to discrimination and violence on daily basis. She added that women were forced to live in an atmosphere of fear and due to this fear, the sense of being inferior, imposed by the traditional thoughts of a male dominated society, they were suffering in their homes at the hands of their husbands, fathers, brothers and even their sons.
