Women rights, issues in literature: Educate men to empower women
Writers discuss contribution of women writers, call for abolition of feudal system.
Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin and Prof Hameeda Shaheen
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Academy of Letters might well have got writers from across the country to commemorate the International Women’s Day, it failed to blur the gender disparity.
Among the participants a handful of women writers and poets presented their issues forcefully and called for change in mindset and abolition of feudalism to empower women.
They criticised media for stereotyping women and portraying them as an object.
They also stressed the need for giving equal importance to all national languages to create harmony in society.
Punjab Higher Education Chairman Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin, PAL Chairman Dr Qasim Bughio, Kishwar Naheed and Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik were among the members of the presidium of the first session on “Women Rights and Issues in Pakistani Literature” held at the academy on Sunday.
In the first session Akbar Hussain Akbar from Gilgit-Baltistan, Tahira Ehsas Jatak (Brahvi), Hafeez Khan and Wafa Chishti (Seraiki), Rafiq Wasan and Dr Adal Soomro (Sindh), Dr Najeeb Jamal, Prof Hameeda Shaheen and Humaira Ishfaq (Urdu) presented their articles.
Addressing the participants, prominent feminist poet and writer Kishwer Nahid in her keynote address suggested that women should be given social security.
She highlighted the importance of women in society and said that despite facing difficulties and challenges, women have proved their talent in literature, art and other fields.
She emphasised the need for encouraging women in various fields to help them grow.
However, Dr Nazimuddin said that women were responsible for their own plight. “Women are still divided and unless they get united on one agenda there will be no improvement in their lot”.
He said even today women are presented as an object in our dramas and advertisements.
“We have to bring change in our attitude towards women problems. We have to take serious steps instead of conversing about it. These problems cannot be solved only by establishing commissions. They would yield no results if proper research was not done and concrete steps not taken.”
Dr Nizamuddin proposed that women issues should be included in textbooks at college and university levels.
While criticising the academy for not promoting women writers, Brahvi writer Tahira Ehsas Jatak stressed the need for educating men who can then empower women.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Jatak said that the academy needs to support writers in publishing their works. “We can’t get together thousands of rupees and publish our work”.
“Enlighten men so that they can treat women equally,” she said.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Prof Hameeda Shaheen said we had accepted women empowerment at a societal level but failed to recognise it in our own families.
“Even today when it comes to our own daughters and sisters, we don’t encourage them to go beyond the limits we’ve set for them,” she maintained.
Shaheen said that despite cultural barriers women in the region have been working to make their mark.
“It is important that men put themselves in the women’s shoes to understand their problems”, Shaheen said.
Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik said that our social values are based on feudal norms and stressed the need for abolishing it to end violence and discrimination against women.
Addressing the participants, Seraiki writer Wafa Chishti urged the government to cater to financial needs of women writers in rural areas.
Aslam Taseef from FATA underscored the need for an environment to women writers in the troubled area to express themselves and lead their free lives.
Dr Adal Soomro spoke about women in Sindhi literature. He said although men speak about women rights, they fail to practice it at their homes.
He also advocated the abolition of feudal system to empower women.
Dr Najeeb Jamal said that the condition of women changed in the West in 1869 when the feudal system was abolished.
PAL chairman Dr Muhammad Qasim Bughio said that literature was a meaningful word and plays an important role in cultural betterment.
He said the academy will make every possible effort to promote literature and work for the betterment of writers.
Mushtaq Sufi who presided over the second session stressed the need for loving and giving equal importance to all languages of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2015.
The Pakistan Academy of Letters might well have got writers from across the country to commemorate the International Women’s Day, it failed to blur the gender disparity.
Among the participants a handful of women writers and poets presented their issues forcefully and called for change in mindset and abolition of feudalism to empower women.
They criticised media for stereotyping women and portraying them as an object.
They also stressed the need for giving equal importance to all national languages to create harmony in society.
Punjab Higher Education Chairman Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin, PAL Chairman Dr Qasim Bughio, Kishwar Naheed and Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik were among the members of the presidium of the first session on “Women Rights and Issues in Pakistani Literature” held at the academy on Sunday.
In the first session Akbar Hussain Akbar from Gilgit-Baltistan, Tahira Ehsas Jatak (Brahvi), Hafeez Khan and Wafa Chishti (Seraiki), Rafiq Wasan and Dr Adal Soomro (Sindh), Dr Najeeb Jamal, Prof Hameeda Shaheen and Humaira Ishfaq (Urdu) presented their articles.
Addressing the participants, prominent feminist poet and writer Kishwer Nahid in her keynote address suggested that women should be given social security.
She highlighted the importance of women in society and said that despite facing difficulties and challenges, women have proved their talent in literature, art and other fields.
She emphasised the need for encouraging women in various fields to help them grow.
However, Dr Nazimuddin said that women were responsible for their own plight. “Women are still divided and unless they get united on one agenda there will be no improvement in their lot”.
He said even today women are presented as an object in our dramas and advertisements.
“We have to bring change in our attitude towards women problems. We have to take serious steps instead of conversing about it. These problems cannot be solved only by establishing commissions. They would yield no results if proper research was not done and concrete steps not taken.”
Dr Nizamuddin proposed that women issues should be included in textbooks at college and university levels.
While criticising the academy for not promoting women writers, Brahvi writer Tahira Ehsas Jatak stressed the need for educating men who can then empower women.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Jatak said that the academy needs to support writers in publishing their works. “We can’t get together thousands of rupees and publish our work”.
“Enlighten men so that they can treat women equally,” she said.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Prof Hameeda Shaheen said we had accepted women empowerment at a societal level but failed to recognise it in our own families.
“Even today when it comes to our own daughters and sisters, we don’t encourage them to go beyond the limits we’ve set for them,” she maintained.
Shaheen said that despite cultural barriers women in the region have been working to make their mark.
“It is important that men put themselves in the women’s shoes to understand their problems”, Shaheen said.
Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik said that our social values are based on feudal norms and stressed the need for abolishing it to end violence and discrimination against women.
Addressing the participants, Seraiki writer Wafa Chishti urged the government to cater to financial needs of women writers in rural areas.
Aslam Taseef from FATA underscored the need for an environment to women writers in the troubled area to express themselves and lead their free lives.
Dr Adal Soomro spoke about women in Sindhi literature. He said although men speak about women rights, they fail to practice it at their homes.
He also advocated the abolition of feudal system to empower women.
Dr Najeeb Jamal said that the condition of women changed in the West in 1869 when the feudal system was abolished.
PAL chairman Dr Muhammad Qasim Bughio said that literature was a meaningful word and plays an important role in cultural betterment.
He said the academy will make every possible effort to promote literature and work for the betterment of writers.
Mushtaq Sufi who presided over the second session stressed the need for loving and giving equal importance to all languages of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2015.