Int’l Women’s Day: Call for increasing education budget

Speaker says electronic media reinforcing gender stereotypes .

ISLAMABAD: Highlighting the importance of girls’ education, speakers at an interactive session stressed the need for increasing the education budget.

The event, held in connection with the International Women’s Day at a hotel on Saturday, was moderated by Najma Pirzada while the panel comprised rights activist Farzana Bari, education reformer Mehnaz Aziz, mountaineer Samina Baig, social entrepreneur Fiza Farhan and poet Kishwar Naheed.

Wife of the German ambassador Tina Nunn delivered the welcome note.

Bari proposed structural changes to debunk various myths and stereotypes surrounding feminism. She emphasised increasing the education budget and following the minimum four per cent requirement as laid down by Unesco. She highlighted the importance of economic empowerment of women, linking it to gender equality and development, mentioning that 61 per cent of the female population was illiterate.

Aziz spoke about encouraging female students’ participation in both academic as well as extracurricular activities. She blamed electronic media for undermining women and portraying them as helpless and subservient, and thus reinforced stereotypes.

Instead of debates and discussions, Aziz underscored tangible action, especially when it came to girls’ education. Owing to threats to girls’ education, she proposed declaring an emergency to safeguard their rights.

Baig said she did not face gender inequality in her chosen field. “I climb mountains, and mountains do not discriminate between girls and boys. There is this stereotypical image of women that they are weak, on the contrary, I think they need to realise how strong they actually are.”

Her brother and fellow mountaineer Mirza Ali Baig said women were in fact strong, but it was the patriarchal mindset that was the challenge.

Farhan underlined the significance of self-empowerment and pursuing one’s interests and passions. “If you want to be a professional, then work at becoming one.”

Naheed presented a selection of her poems, with their English translations before an audience comprising residents as well as diplomats. In the end, the guests moved to a crafts bazaar showcasing work by women from various parts of the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2015.