Women’s Foundation Promotes National Conference on Women’s Peacebuilding Efforts in Quetta

Quetta:In efforts to mitigate violence, eradicate extremism, and resolve conflicts through dialogue, the Women’s Foundation is actively raising awareness about government laws and policies concerning violence based on gender, ethnicity, religion, minority status, children’s rights, and marginalized communities. Their recent initiative, the Women Architects of Peace program, aims to promote inclusivity of women in establishing and sustaining peace. Key leaders including Deputy Speaker of Balochistan Assembly and Pakistan Peoples Party leader Ghazala Gola, and Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi participated in a conference held in Islamabad, emphasizing the significant contributions made by women at various levels in society and state. They proposed short, medium, and long-term sustainable peace strategies aligned with the Constitution of Pakistan, ensuring equal rights without discrimination based on gender, race, color, ethnicity, mental or physical disability, or sexual identity. The conference recommended ensuring 50% female participation in provincial and district peace committees and enhancing women’s representation in decision-making roles across all national and provincial assemblies, including Senate. Measures were also suggested to discourage negative portrayals of women in media channels and ensure continuous public and electronic media campaigns for assistance to victims of violence and disaster. Political parties participating in elections were urged to ensure 15% ticket allocation for women on general seats, aiming to enhance their representation in the public sphere.