Round Table meeting for sharing experience and future planning for gender sensitization and development held. Women development forum established.
CHITRAL: District Nazim of Chitral Haji Maghfirat Shah stressed upon all stakeholders comprising overheads of line departments, representatives of civil societies and public sector for integrated approach and joint efforts for tangible and sustainable development of Chitral. He was addressing in a round table meeting cum women coordination forum held here in a local hotel organized by Tehsil Municipal Administration in collaboration with Regional Women Empowerment Project (RWEP). He said that although so many NGOs working here for uplifting life standard of women folk and development of the entire district but it need more polishing and mutual coordination for sustainable development and integrated approach so as to avoid from repetition and bring positive changes in their lives. He said that Women Development Forum must be established here (who also announced for its establishment informally) to boost their existing skill by different ways like giving them more training, linkage their products to national and international market, sale points and sophisticating their existing skill and handicrafts. He said that existing scenario need more opportunities to stand them on their own feet so as to minimized their dependency on male by earning their livelihood with their own ways and source locally without disturbing our culture. He appreciated mosaic training and its products that local women of Chitral have prepared very attractive and best decoration pieces from small stones and pieces of marble first time in Chitral. He emphasized on all civil societies working for women uplifting to provide them all possible opportunities at their doorsteps and confidence of ownership of any project working for their development to attract their interest. He said that after opening of the Lawari tunnel we will be face more challenges by arrival expert, sound and strong people from down districts and we should to be prepare mentally to overcome in competition with other nations. He said that district government always support you and never create any hurdles in the ways of any NGO working for women development and empowerment. As well as all government agencies, civil societies will be support you massively but you must to work with mutual coordination for solid, tangible and visible development to bring changes in life standard of women folk.
Addressing to the forum Tehsil Nazim Chitral Saraj Ahamd Khan expressed his concern over that after sharing experiences of different NGOs and said that it seems that there is no integrated approach and mutual coordination among them. It should must be linkage and to support each other. He emphasized on local people to come forward by taking a step ahead for uplifting Chitral otherwise other national will dominion if they failed. He hailed Legal Awareness Program for Human Rights who raised a voice first time and approached through different stakeholders for extension of Women protection Act at Chitral to provide a confidence of secure life to women of Chitral. He stressed upon emotional sensitization session for all especially women folk to eradicate and minimize suicide cases, which are on high ratio here as comparative than other districts. Besides them District Naib Nazim Sultan Shah and Chairman Public Safety Commission Said Jalal Advocate, Project Manager of RWEP Imtiaz Ahmad, Chairman LAPH Niaz Ali Sha, Mrs Khadija Sardar, Ms Munira Manager ICDP, Mrs Razia Sultana Manager Gender & Development AKRSP, Ms Shahida Coordinator SRSP, Noor Alam RPM of Hashoo Foundation, Niaz A Niaz member board of Director LAPH, Ghafoor Baig Chairman ICDP, Dr. Rahmat Aman Deputy DHO, M. Tariq Manager Drosh Area Development Program, Ms Naseema, Muhammad Karam Aga Khan Planning board and other shared their experience for future planning and sustainable development of Chitral. The speakers highly appreciated Chinar Handicraft Center of Mrs Khadija who working on self help basis without any foreign support to promote skill and handicrafts of Chitral.
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