Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 10: A one-day round table meeting was held today at State Guest House Srinagar on the topic ‘Women Pioneering Change for Peace and Prosperity’.
The meet was organized by Rekha Mody, founder of She Leads, Stree Shakti- The Parallel Force with support of Farzana (editor – Founder New Kashmir). Safina Baig, Chairman DDC Baramulla and Haj Committee Jammu and Kashmir, Researcher Dr Ovee Thorat, Professor Shafiya from Baramulla College, educationist Javed Kamli, social entrepreneur Dr Ritu Singh, State Commissioner Taxes Dr Rashmi Singh and Researchers Mushtaq Ul Haq Sikander and Sheikh Sameer attended the program.
Speaking on the occasion, Rekha Mody affirmed that reservation is an issue of utmost importance as Chattisgarh currently has maximum women MLA in India while Jammu and Kashmir in last assembly had only 2.2 percent woman MLAs. She said that for several years there is no State Commission for Women in J&K. She further added that half of India’s population is waiting for last 30 years to get reservation in political parties and in legislatives.
Dr Javed Kamili stated that financial empowerment of women is the need of hour while Chairman DDC Baramulla opined that political participation of women should be encouraged. She shared her vision that an inclusive approach is essential. She said, “Self help groups are a game changer for women. Women exploring financial avenues through Self Help Groups are changing the face of many areas towards betterment.”
Professor Shafiya observed that patriarchy related barriers have to be broken so that women can achieve maximum representation in politics and other fields whereas Mushtaq Ul Haq Sikander observed that women at the top of political ladder have important role to play in political empowerment of women and urged political parties to give adequate participation of women.
Sheikh Sameer urged to touch the grassroots and remember the unsung heroes among women to achieve a humane world for women and educationist Ritu Singh termed education as the basic fundamental for achieving women empowerment in every sense.
Madeena Mir from PHDCCI evinced her support for the cause of women empowerment and demand of free travel in public transport while Dr Rashmi Singh said that effective participation of women in local governance is a key to good governance.
It was resolved that the goal should be to increase women participation fully in development process and this can be done by building leadership capacity of women in all spheres i.e. social, economic and political.