HYDERABAD: Women farmers, water activists and people from academia have lauded the role of village women, who are at forefront to face effects of natural calamities, like rain floods, coronavirus pandemic, locust attacks and others.
They were speaking on the occasion of International Day of Rural Women 2020 celebration under the theme: 'Building rural women's resilience in the wake of Covid-19' at a local hotel on Thursday.
The programme was organised by Management and Development Foundation (MDF), focusing on 'Women, Peace and Water Governance.'
A large number of rural women hailing from different villages of Hyderabad and Tando Muhammad Khan districts participated in the programme and shared their experiences.
Ayaz Latif Palijo, President Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) said there are laws regarding women to live equally at home. They have equal rights to education and performing jobs. Similarly, they may possess pieces of lands and have livestock and entrepreneurship to earn little amount to ease their families. He appreciated the rural women for poultry farming and other livelihood works, besides educating their daughters. There is no harm in educating girls, he stated.
He said women should take initiative for their own empowerment. They should have courage to resist for their rights and self-development. He said there are traditional hindrance in Sindh's tribal and some rural areas. But they should come forward to work and fight for their rights.
Prof Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, director University Enhancement at Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, said rural women have tasks, ranging from working in agriculture fields, livestock and water management to food security.
He said whenever natural disasters, like flood, rains and sea storms hit, these women remain on frontline to face direct effects of it. Now there is cry of coronavirus in which women are restricted to join mainstream livelihood activities. They must be encouraged in such times when they are stitching masks to earn little income, because the coronavirus has shrunk their livelihood activities in rural areas.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020