LAHORE. The provincial launch of the FEM Consortia in Pakistan represents a significant milestone in the advocacy and promotion of women’s rights and gender equality in the country held in Lahore at local hotel . FEM Consortia is an alliance comprising 12 women’s rights organizations that have come together to collaborate and work collectively on various issues affecting women in Pakistan.
FEM consortia is an outcome of women’s voice and leadership project where 12 WROs across four provinces of Pakistan feel committed to continue their collective struggle for women’s rights.
According to Bushra Khaliq, the executive Director WISE said that feminist principles joint us together. All organization will work together for women rights, implementation of laws.. She highlighted the issues related to women. They will struggle together for the solution of women and girls with feminist’s lens. #
The executive director of WISE said that thematic areas of FEN consortia are girls’ child, working women and women in politics. Girls’ education, early child forced marriages, women economic GBV against women in politics will be highlighted by FEM consortia. Our purpose is to get gender equality and out consortia will work together with all institution working for women rights.
Humaira from Bahawalpur bases NGO Pakistan Rural Workers Social Workers Organisation (PRWSWO( appreciated the struggle of women who stood for the rights of women.
On the occasion, Bushra Khaliq explained that by forming this alliance, these organizations can pool their resources, knowledge, and expertise to address women’s rights issues more effectively. They can collaborate on advocacy, research, capacity-building, and community outreach programs.
The FEM Consortia is expected to engage in advocacy efforts to advance women’s rights in Pakistan. This may include lobbying for policy changes, promoting legal reforms, and raising awareness about issues such as gender-based violence, education, healthcare, and economic empowerment.
The FEM Consortia will likely establish mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the impact of their programs and initiatives to ensure they are effectively promoting women’s rights and gender equality.
Bushra said that overall, the provincial launch of the FEM Consortia is a significant step in the ongoing efforts to advance women’s rights and gender equality in Pakistan. It reflects a collaborative and coordinated approach to address the multifaceted challenges faced by women in different regions of the country.
She added that constitutional protection should be given to local governance so that women leadership should come forward.
Dr Nasira Malik, representative Oxfam said that transformation is very important. Leadership has been transformed to female youngsters. FEM consortia is a great success and example of it.
Zafarullah khan, expert on Constitution and Democracy said that early marriages should be stopped so that they could complete their education. Laws for women rights have been made by the government but the need is its implementation. He further added that that the institutions and law should be pro women.
Sahar Shafique Assistant Director, women Development Department the government of Punjab, “government and organizations work together for women rights and added that workshops on Gender based violence were held so that recommendation could be sent to Chief Secretary”.
Nabila Hakim, women Ombusperson Punjab , appreciated the struggle Bushra Khaliq for women rights and said women work should be acknowledged. We believe in gender equality. We should provide our women to friendly environment at work place. We should give due rights to women. The offices of Harassment at works place and sexual harassment at work place are functional in every region, could submit their complaints. Culprits would be made accountable, it does not matter how much the accused is powerful. As we receive complaint we move forward so that work place could be made friendly. She said that in the past we made accountable to DCs as well.
She demanded that proportional representation should be given to the women so that democracy could be made inclusive.
