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REPORTInternational Women’s Day 2004
Seminar’s Participants Like previous years, Working Women Organization celebrated International Women Day 2004 with full of enthusiasm and determination. Through following activities WWO paid tribute to the Women of the World who are challenging exploited powers and struggling for human equality, peace and justice. · Poster produced and sent to National and International organizations and individuals for expressing solidarity with struggle of women rights. · Meetings took place with workers (women & men) and trade unions to highlight the importance of 8th March as well as to motivate them to join celebrations. · WWO’s Aima Mahmood layout and hosted Pakistan Television’s special program telecast on 7th March. · Press Conference was orgainzed on March 7th by the executive members of WWO in Lahore Press Club for describing the purpose of March 8th along with bringing up women workers demands and urging government to eliminate anti workers and people policies. · Different organizations and local government organized seminar on 8th March. WWO was invited there as a main speaker. WWO stressed on women issues and needs before of government authorities. · On March 9th, WWO organized Seminar in Press Club Lahore. Hundreds of urban and sub urban women belongs to factories, brick kilns, offices, educational institutions and agriculture participated in seminar. Trade union representatives also joined the gathering. Big numbers of children and students were also there.
women workers singing songs Ms. Humaira Awais, (Member of Punjab Assembly), Ms. Muneeza Hashmi (Director of Program, Pakistan Television) Mr. Gulzar Ahmed Chaudhary (General Secretary All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, President Pakistan Workers Confederation), Ms.Ghulam Fatima (Bonded Labor), Ms. Hina Jilani (Advocate and UN special representative for Human Rights), and Ms. Sughra Imam (Minister of Social Welfare, Punjab) were chief guests of the program. In seminar Aima Mahmood expressed solidarity with women and all human beings who are fighting and sacrificing against prejudices, injustices and inequalities throughout the world. She said great turn up in this program confirms, its not an easy for fascist powers to stop women movement, not in Pakistan and not in other parts of the world. We women are united and will continue to confront authoritarianism and exploitation. Program speakers congratulated WWO for holding a memorable event. Speakers said poverty is the major element of women’s bad situation in Pakistan. Economic independence can play vital role to improve women conditions. It was said all forms of discrimination and violence against women could only end when they stand up for their rights. Atmosphere of society could improve if women get their rights. To get women rights is two ways struggle, first to create awareness among women and organize them and secondly to make changes in the way of thinking of men and obtain their support. Speakers said favorable laws are very important to gain women rights. But just formation of laws is not enough that implementation of laws is as mush necessary as their formation. It is also described that change in social mind set towards women is more important for their empowerment than the change in laws as struggle is necessary for securing the rights even after change in the law. Speaker emphasized that electronic and printing media must play positive role to raise women plight and their demands. Ms. Muneeza Hashmi (Director of Program, Pakistan Television) described that after becoming program director of Pakistan television she started special programs for bringing up women problems. She said these programs are making very notable impact on society in terms of highlighting women issues. It wouldn’t be easy for any one to stop these positive changes in electronic media. Mr. Gulzar Ahmed Chaudhary expressed trade unions support with women struggle. He said capitalists and their alliance governments are making extremely difficult for union to form or work. In Pakistan government is making negative amendments in labor laws and snatching the rights that workers gained after long and difficult struggle. We firmly oppose and condemned government anti workers policies in terms of privatization, deregulation, contract labor system and down sizing in all publics as well as private industries. Rubina Jamil, President WWO strongly criticized that crimes against women are increasing in year 2003. 1574 women murdered, 3867 faced sexual violence in which 1351 women sexually abused, 979 women were raped. It is shamed that government is not interested to make concrete plane of action for making improvement in women situation. She urged that government should immediately take initiative for the Implementation of Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and make “Day care centers” for women worker’s children, implement Labor Laws, Code of Conduct for Gender Justice at Work Place at all public institutions and departments. In program, women studying in WWO literacy centers sung songs about their struggle. In the last of program a drama related to a successful story of women workers’ struggle was also showed.
Working Women OrganizationE-5/48-A, Rehmania Street, Zaman Colony, Lahore Cantt: Pakistan. Tel: 92-42-6686382 – 6686519, Fax: 92-42-6686519 Email: wwo@brain.net.pk
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Open World Conference of Workers
