Women Parliamentary Caucus of provincial assembly discuss ‘Sindh Women Protection Policy during Natural Calamities’.
Karachi
Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly and Chairperson Women Parliamentary Caucus Sindh Assembly Ms. Rehana Leghari Tuesday said that the effects of the disaster caused by rain and flood are diminishing with time, but in this disaster, the only creature that has been unusually neglected is the female gender.
“We saw the government, philanthropists and welfare organizations actively participating in the relief activities, but the rights, needs and feelings of women were neglected and ignored in all the relief activities,” she said.
“The victims were provided with tents, money and other goods as a whole, but individually women’s needs were completely ignored,” Rehana Leghari said while presiding over a discussion of Sindh Women Parliamentarian Caucus on the subject of “Sindh Women Protection Policy during Natural Calamities” organized by “Civil Society Support Program” at Committee room of Sindh Assembly Building.
Rehana Laghari was of the view that rations bags, tents, cash, cooked-food etc. had been provided to the flood and rain-effected people in large quantity but not a single sanitary bag for women was included in the whole pack of relief goods that point out our negligence towards issues related to women.
She and other members of Sindh Women Parliamentary Caucus appealed to the NDMA, PDMA, INGOs, NGOs, and Philanthropist to provide all necessary items including sanitary bags for women in the ration bags in flood and rain affected areas.
The session was attended by members of different political parties present in Sindh assembly including PPP MPA Shahina Sher Ali, Farhat Seemi Soomro, Sadia Jawaid, Seemi, Ghazala Siyal, MQM’s Rana Ansar, Shahana Ashraf, Rabia Khatoom and PTIs Adeeba Hassan. The participants were briefed by the CSSP representative Kashif Bajeer and Noor Bajeer on the Sindh Women Protection Policy and stressed the need to emphasize on providing necessities for women during natural disasters.
They informed that the recent rains and floods have created huge problems for women apart from displacement, which are extremely important to address. This policy will protect the rights, needs and feelings of women in natural calamities.
Ms. Rehana Leghari told that there is no doubt that women are the most affected by this natural calamity and among them the women who are pregnant are the most affected. Such women need special care in their normal life and in this natural calamity they are the first to be rescued and provided with relief. “It should be a priority,” she urged.
Ms. Rehana Laghari said that members of Sindh assembly instantly came into action and reached their respective areas after the recent rain and flood, havocked cities and agricultural lands of the province and found only women in a pathetic and vulnerable condition.
She assured her full support in forming and drafting Sindh Women Protection Policy and the entire nation has learned a lesson from the recent rains and floods in Pakistan, especially in Sindh and ready to deal with in future. (PR)
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