CODE PAKISTAN assists the government in gathering women leaders against extremism

February 1, 2018: CODE PAKISTAN assisted the Government of Pakistan in organizing a conference to bring together a diverse group of female leaders to discuss the role of women in national peacebuilding efforts to counter violence and extremism. The attending participants ranged from religious scholars, social workers, women’s rights activists to political leaders, and businesswomen, who unanimously denounced violence and agreed on the need for women to be more actively engaged in peacebuilding strategies.

The conference titled “The role of Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan in Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Peacebuilding” was jointly organized by CODE PAKISTAN, the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), the National Commission on Status of Women, and Bedari.

Ms. Rahila Durrani, the Speaker of the Baluchistan Assembly presided over the inaugural session alongside Mr. Masoom Yasinzai, the Rector of IIUI. In her keynote address, Ms. Durrani highlighted the increasingly important role played by women in all walks of life in all parts of the country. She gave her own example of becoming the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan, an economically underserved province of the country. She stressed the importance of the role of women in all walks of life and the need for them to stand up against extremism as custodians of the ethos of the coming generations. After the inaugural session, the participants were divided into four breakaway sessions for more focused discussions on the following four themes:

a. Role of Women in the Protection of Children against Violence and Extremism;
b. Contribution of Women in Advancing National Narrative through Dialogue for Peace;
c. Domestic and Social Reciprocity in the Light of Quran and Sunnah;
d. Right of Women to Participate in the Development: an Islamic Perspective;

The concluding ceremony, which was dedicated to evolving a consensus on a draft declaration on countering extremism, was jointly presided over by Mrs. Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, wife of Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Dr. Ziaul Haq, the Director General of the Islamic Research Institute, IIUI; and Mr. Muhammad Yousif Ahmed Al Draiweesh, the President of IIUI. During the session, the participants agreed on a draft declaration calling for the empowerment of women in the domestic and social context with provisions for greater opportunities and roles in all spheres of life in accordance with the Quran, Sunnah, and the Constitution of Pakistan. It was unanimously agreed that any national effort to promote peace and tolerance could not be complete without the representation of women who play a fundamental role in the reformation of society in both private and public spheres.

Other distinguished guests included female political leaders such as Ms. Zubaida Jalal, Ms. Farhana Qamar, Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, Ms. Amra Khan and Ms. Asia Naz Tanoli. Religious experts from all five Wafaqs and other religious institutions were prominently represented by members such as Ms. Khanum Syeda Tayyaba Bukhari, Ms. Durdana Siddiqui, Ms. Tahira Yousuf, Ms. Azhara Naqvi, Ms. Afnan Baber, Ms. Saadia Jamil, Ms. Sameen Saeed and Ms. Asma Abdul Quddus. Notable names from government officials, human rights activists and academic circles included Ms. Khawar Mumtaz, Dr. Samia Raheel Qazi, Ms. Huma Chughtai, Dr. Farkhanda Zia, Dr. Parveen Ashraf, Dr. Humaira Ashraf, Ms. Saima Owais, Dr. Shagufta Omar and Dr. Nazia Malik amongst others.