Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference women’s wing President Advocate Shameema Firdous on Tuesday said that full and equitable participation of women in public life is essential to building and sustaining strong, vibrant democracies.
This she, according to the NC spokesperson, said that at a daylong convention of the party’s women’s Wing in Bandipora District. The meeting was presided over by State President Women’s wing Shameema Firdous. Provincial President women’s wing Er. Sabiya Qadri, District Secretary Women’s Wing Zareena, District President Bandipora Mir Ghulam Rasool Naaz, DDC Member Mewa Jaan, Zone President Er Sameer Bhat, Zone Joint Secretary Bhat Lateef, Dr Bilquis Mir, Vice-president YNC Adv Asif and other party’s local unit functionaries were present on the occasion as well.
In her address to the functionaries and workers, Shameema said that the meaningful participation of women in national, local, and community leadership roles has become an important focus on global development policy but NC under the vanguard of Madre Maharban Begum Akbar Jehan had long before anticipated the futuristic global trends and created a ground for it. “Women’s empowerment had become embroiled in the political ideology of Naya Kashmir envisioned by Sher-e-Kashmir. The years post 47 saw large-scale grassroots level mobilization on ground which benefited women at different levels. The years following the implementation of the NC progressive agenda was marked by women’s changing roles. The policies framed by successive NC-led have played an equally important role in nurturing the mission of Madre Meharban by cultivating modern, progressive, emancipated, skilled, and educated women,” she said.
Calling for effective measures to encourage substantive equality and opportunity for all to grow at all levels, Shameema Firdous said making women politically stronger would play a game-changer in alleviating their sufferings.
On the occasion, women’s wing provincial president Er. Sabiya Qadri stressed on the need for addressing the gender gaps in jobs, entrepreneurship and other economic activities. She said that successive NC governments have made significant headway in this regard but more is required to be done, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. “History stands testimony to efforts made by NC in promoting female literacy and ensuring their economic empowerment even when education of girl child was a taboo in many states of the country,” she said.
