A seminar on ‘Gender and Migration’ was held at Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) by the Department of Gender Studies, in collaboration with Migration Research Group (MRG).
Ms Warda Zakir, a lecturer of the Department of Gender Studies, welcomed the audience and thanked the guests, including Dr Sabiha Syed, (Director MRG), Dr Nosheen Mehmood, Co-Director MRG and Ms Ayesha Sheraz, Senior Research Fellow of MRG.
Dr Sabiha has been working as Director MRG and is also chairperson of All Pakistan Women Association.
Addressing the participants, she said that migration is an old phenomenon and during the last decade the women migration is on rise but unfortunately very little research work in this particular field has been done so far.
She briefly explained the objectives and parameters under which migration research group is working. She was of the view that there is a need to create awareness at grassroots level, build close ways to national and international organizations and to organize meetings and dialogues to address this issue.
Dr Nosheen Mehmood, Co-Director MRG, discussed various reasons for women to migrate. She said that by glancing through the scholarly research of 1960s and 70s, it can be observed that gender was not the primary focus of attention.
In fact, the literature on migration has pointed out that both migration and research on migration have been gendered processes.
Ms Ayesha Sheraz said that in the year 2000, the United Nations Population Division estimated that 49% of all international migrants were women or girls, despite the common misconception that men are the migrants.
At the end, Dr Rukhsana Hassan, in-charge, Gender Studies Department, delivered the lecture on the topic of gender and transnational migration to the students.
FJWU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Samina Amin Qadir said that there is a need to think positive and to be proactive.
She hoped that memorandum of understanding will be signed with migration research group.
The seminar was followed by interactive question-answer session. The participants raised questions related to gender and migration of the women.
Dr Rukhsana Hassan thanked guest speakers for sharing their valuable thoughts with the faculty and students.
