Decrying discrimination: Women in Charsadda district council warn of strike

Accuse govt of not launching any project for women in 14 months

CHARSADDA: The female members of Charsadda district council have threatened to go on a hunger strike against alleged discrimination in funding of development projects for women. Women have been ignored by the district nazim and assistant directorate of the local government, said women council members while addressing a press conference.

The district members from different parties, including Safia Nauroz of ANP, Nazneen Akhtar of JI, Shaheen Sultana of QWP, and Ishrat Begum of PTI, were present on the occasion.

They said there were no separate rooms for female members in the district secretariat. Moreover, the government has not undertaken any development project for women during the last 14 months, they said. They added that the local government assistant directorate has not even summoned a district meeting despite repeated requests by the female members of the council.

Last year, only 12 sessions of the district assembly were held despite the mandatory requirement of 15 by the local government ordinance.

The female members have accused the district nazim of not listening to their reservations. “We held several meetings with the nazim, but to no avail,” said one of the members. They have threatened a hunger strike before Eid if their reservations were not addressed. Charsadda district nazim Fahad Khan told The Express Tribune development funds have been allocated to female district members and separate rooms will be established for them before the district council session. He added salaries are given on an honorary basis and are not allocated in the district budget.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2016.