The economic development and prosperity of the most underdeveloped district Tharparkar cannot be achieved until the women of the region are provided with equal livelihood and income generation opportunities.
This was said by deputy commissioner Tharparkar, Mohammad Nawaz Soho. He was delivering a keynote speech during the Thari Women Award ceremony organized by Thar Foundation and Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) here on Monday near Islamkot town. The ceremony was organized to recognize the contribution of women of Thar in different spheres of life.
The women who received the awards for Women Empowerment were Ms Khimya, a lady health worker supervisor, Ms. Manjoo Bai Kolhi, Ms. Shakutla, Ex-counsellors, Ms. Hina Kolhi, and Ms. Veenti Bheel, RO Plant operators of Thar Foundation, Ms. Amboo Bai and Ms. Jeema, Dumper drivers of SECMC, Ms. Vijay Laxmi, Ms. Bhagwanti and Ms. Jay Paradha, teachers of government girls high school, Islamkot, Ms Ayesha, Ms. Cheena and Ms. Sandhya, teachers at Thar Foundation Schools.
The DC Thar said that the great poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai had also greatly highlighted the role of women in his poetry compiled Shah Jo Risalo. The society of Sindh must thank him for signifying women’s role in the rural setup of Sindh as he (Bhittai) considered them the real heroines of Sindh. ” No society can be prosperous without the active participation of the women ” he added, saying that it was the high time to empower the women and allow them a due space in decision making. Mr Soho said that such events would further encourage the women who were working shoulder to shoulder with the men in all fields.
He stressed that slamming the doors of the employment, education, empowerment and emancipation was tantamount to closing the avenues of progress and prosperity on all segments of the society both in the desert district and other parts of the country. He said that the executives and officials of the mining firm had already set a great example to include women in various projects.
Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi the chief executive officer (CEO) of both Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company and Thar Foundation said it was a daunting task to take Thari unskilled women onboard of a rural setting to become trained industrialized dump truck drivers and RO plant operators. But, he added, the determination and will to bring them on board paid the dividends. He said that the industry in Thar was making progress by leaps and bounds and keeping in view the potential of exploitation of natural resources like coal, granite, and the China Clay.
The operators and investors must come forward and dare to invest in the rural women of Thar and they will have the handsome returns, he said. Ghulam Nabi Sahar, district education officer, Syeda Sabeen Shah, the manager education of Thar Foundation, Kuldeep Parwani, President Traders Association, Dr. Shankar Wankwani, Civil Society representatives, , Abdul Ghani Bajeer, president of Islamkot Press Club and others also spoke on the occasion.
Kamlesh Pagarani and Rashna Zameer moderated the session Before the award ceremony, schoolgirls presented tableaus and speeches on women empowerment and the contribution of women in society
