Like the rest of the world, ‘International Women’s Day’ was also observed in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) on Wednesday.
The purpose of celebrating the day is to ensure due empowerment, safeguard equal rights and dignified status, and maintain high respect, honor, and dignity of the women folk at par with the opposite gender in all segments of society.
Special ceremonies including walks, seminars, and symposiums were observed across AJK in connection with the day with the resolution to maintain the equal rights and status of the females who have reached about 51 percent of the total population of the country irrespective of any discrimination of gender besides maintaining their respect, honor, and dignity to ensure the maximum utilization of the talent and abilities of the women folk for the betterment and uplift of the country and the nation. The day is observed on March 8 every year since the year 1900 across the globe in light of the charter under the manifesto of the United Nations (UN) to highlight the importance of women’s role in society. Several ceremonies were also held to celebrate Universal Women’s Day under the auspices of various local NGOs of Women and the state-run women’s development institution.
Addressing a gathering at Azad Kashmir Radio Mirpur complex, held on Wednesday to mark the day, the speakers including Producer Khushbakht Jameel, seasoned educationist Soniya Khan, Aaliya Syed, eminent women cricket coordinator, banker Madhya Syed and others highlighted the role model of eminent women social workers engaged in serving the ailing humanity besides the uplift of the women in different sectors of life on self-help basis. The ceremony was attended by a large number of women representing various segments of the Society mostly belonging to the academic sector.
Speakers underlined the importance of the role of women in all sections of society and said, “No healthy society can emerge without the vibrant role of woman in different capacities, especially as a responsible mother, sister, and daughter bearing due intellect in different fields of their respective choices.” Speakers strongly condemned the continued tragic incidents of molestation including rape and killing of innocent Kashmiri women by the Indian occupational forces in bleeding India illegally occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK) in the wake of the increased acts of state terrorism for their “offense” of launching struggle for the liberation of the motherland from Indian forced and unlawful rule.
Speakers called upon the United Nations (UN) and international human rights organizations to immediately intervene to stop the Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiris including women, in IIOJK. The celebration of the day reminds to promote and raise awareness about the equal importance and status of women folk, at par with male members, at all times in society – since the importance of the role of lady members in any of the society could not be set aside and the equal rights, dignified status, respect and honor of women was imperative in all respect, the speakers observed. They added that the role of women in the progress and prosperity and uplift of any nation and the country could be primarily imperative side by side with the male members of the society.
