The other half: ‘Women are still far from holding up half the sky in politics’

Dr Khushk presides over seminar on social, economic and political status of women.

SUKKUR:

A seminar on 'Social, Economic and Political Status of women: National, Regional and International Perspective' was organised by Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU), Khairpur and Pak-US Alumni Network, Sukkur, on March 8 to celebrate the International Women's Day.

The pro-vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Muhammad Yousuf Khushk, presided over the event and the winner of Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Prize 2011, Ghulam Sughra Solangi, was the chief guest.

Dr Khushk felt that the Chinese proverb 'women hold up half the sky' may be true demographically but is still quite far from becoming a political reality. "Although there were women in power as far back as the Middle Ages, very few of them occupy positions in the legislature and at the executive level today." He also pointed out that promoting gender equality and empowering women featured importantly in Millennium Development Goals which were set by UN in 2000 and which 193 countries had promised to achieve by 2015.

"Women in rural areas are continuously victimised and the feudal system is responsible for much of the crimes being committed against them," said Solangi. She went on to appreciate the role played by the media in highlighting cases of honour killing and female harassment.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2013.