Working Women’s Day: Women seek peaceful working environment

LAHORE:National Working Women’s Day was observed on Thursday. Women in Struggle for Empowerment (WISE) celebrated female singers from across the country. Their most popular songs were sung by young singers and it was a show thoroughly enjoyed by those who attended the event.

On this occasion, Dr Fauzia Saeed highlighted contributions of singers such as Jahan Ara Begum, Mai Bhagi, Fareeda Khanam, Munni Begum, Surayya Multanikar, Tina Saani, Roona Laila, Nayyara Noor, Naheed Akhtar and Shahnaz Begum among others.

Dr Fauzia Saeed, Maleeha Hussain, Bushra Aitzaz, Nabila Hakim Khan and Tanvir Jahan were among the prominent guests apart from LHWs and women from the forces who were there in uniform.

Reshma’s daughter Rubi Rehma vocalised two of her most popular songs; ‘Bari lambi judai’ and ‘Hayo Rabba, nayyo lagda dil mera’ that resonated well with the audience and also sang a song of Madam Noor Jahan. Reshma’s daughter too has a beautiful voice.

Dr Fauzia Saeed stressed on cultivating a harassment-free environment where women are treated with dignity. She narrated an incident of harassment and told the audience how the harasser was made accountable. “The application against the harassment was submitted on December 22, 25 years ago.

We won the case. We had drafted the law too. In Pakistan, after 10 years of our struggle, the law against harassment was made,” she said. There were talks by Bushra Aitzaz and Nabila Hakim Khan, Ombudsperson who hears harassment and inheritance cases of women. Both of them said there are good laws and women have to summon courage to avail them. All women who take a step, however small, to get their rights, are praiseworthy, they said.

Bushra Aitzaz said that her daughter’s marriage fell apart and she had filed a case against the other party in 2012. “Today, on Dec 22, 2022, the court has decided in her favour. It took ten years,” she said, adding, “this should encourage women to speak up for their rights. Women should take the law to the place where they will be heard. To make our departments take action, we need to go to them. Women do not know that if they go to court, they will get minimum Rs5,000 for maintenance per child.” Whenever women take the bold step to report wrong, sooner or later the culprit has to pay for his misdoing, she said. She stresses on settling Haq Mehr beforehand and take it seriously and not be dismissive about it. “Let people marry of their own free will—make a conscious choice,” she said.