Nothing done basic to improve our lives: Paktia women

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Women in southeastern Paktia province say nothing fundamental has been done to improve women’s living standard and past projects in this regard have little impact.

Aisha, a resident of Ahmadkhel district, told Pajhwok Afghan News that women in remote areas of the province were backward and the government should work for their development in districts besides provincial capitals.

She said a majority of women in Paktia were unaware about their rights and had seen nothing practical to be done for their welfare.

“Prayer leaders in districts and other remote areas should be persuaded to highlight women’s rights and make people give women the rights what Islam has given them.”

Provincial gender in charge, Muska Mangal, said works done so far for women were not enough and more basic work should be done.

She considered improving women’s capacity as essential and providing educational and vocation trainings to women could help improve their lives.

“Women’s lives can improve if religious scholars and elders work for discouraging bad customs and develop men’s mentality that women are half of the world’s population and they need what men need and have equal rights.”

Afghan Women Network head Zarghona Himmat said women continued to face many challenges and in several areas the gender even lacked basic amenities of life.

First of all families should protect the rights of their girls and send them to school and the government should take essential steps towards making women economically self reliant by offering them jobs.

 “Currently all programs are implemented on project-level, a three-day workshop and seminar are provided with certificates, which is not beneficial for women,” she complained.

Nasreen Oriakhel, women affairs director, said different organizations and NGOs used to implement project-level works for women but permanent works would also be done to improve women’s living style under a proper plan.

She called job opportunities for women as essential and said efforts were underway to improve girls’ educations.

She added a marketplace would be established for women in Gardez City to craftswomen were able to sell their handcrafts.

There are tens of local and foreign NGOs working in the name of improving women’s lives in Afghanistan, but their work remains insufficient.

sa/ma

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