Ensure central role of women in decision-making and mediation: Speakers

ISLAMABAD: “Women’s participation in decision-making must be ensured at all levels as women have some inbuilt negotiation capability and better skills to manage conflict and create innovative solutions to the problems.”
This was stated by Dr. Shaheen Akhtar, Professor at National Defense University while addressing a training workshop wherein around 25 women hailing from Azad Jammu and Kashmir were present.
She underlined the importance of structural reforms that are indispensable for encouraging women’s participation in the decision-making process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The day-long workshop was organized by the Centre for Peace, Development and Reforms (CPDR).
She highlighted the impact of the larger Kashmir conflict on the lives of women in AJK and how this conflict has restricted the participation of the already neglected female lot of the region in policy-making circles and many other significant areas.
AJK is not a conflict zone, but a part of a disputed territory, therefore, the impact of conflict here becomes inevitable, affecting the individual grooming at many levels, she added.
Akhtar also stated that the government needs to take some concrete steps to reach out to this vulnerable and often ignored section of society in order to make female participation in decision-making and governance a reality.
Women of AJK have a huge potential to represent themselves and can play
an important role in the peace-making and conflict resolution process by being effective mediators, Akhtar further added. She severely castigated the practice of restricting women in some set roles and spoke about the importance of women’s participation in many aspects of governance.
Nighat Khan, head of a London-based organization New Vision for Women, spoke about the significance of individual grooming, and of how an assertive and self-confident class of women can bring a tremendous change in the whole structure of society. She emphasized the importance of personal grooming to enhance the skills of women and develop their strong characters to rebut the misrepresentation and obfuscation of facts in our society.-PNP