PRESS RELEASE:  PODA Amplifies Rural Women’s Voices

ISLAMABAD, January 31, 2025: Emphasizing the importance of amplifying rural women’s voices through the platform of the Annual Rural Women Conference, the Executive Director of PODA expressed appreciation for Punjab Chief Minister Mariam Nawaz’s efforts to protect women’s and girls’ rights. She was speaking at the launching meeting of the report of the 17th Annual Rural Women Conference organized by PODA from 22-24 October 2024 in Islamabad.

Highlighting the conference proceedings, she said that the event brought together a remarkable gathering of over 2376 mainly rural women from 130 districts across Pakistan, highlighting the critical issues faced by rural women who are not recognized as ‘farmers’, thereby denying them access to government schemes and services intended for farmers.

The ED-PODA stated that this platform uniquely reflects Pakistan’s diversity as a federation, bringing together representatives from all regions and walks of life concerning women’s issues. It bridges the gap between women and stakeholders, including the government, international donor organizations, politicians, and government departments, and ensures insight to policymaker gauging the niche from the grassroots, she added.

“The pioneering women who first attended this conference are now leading initiatives across Pakistan, driving transformative change in their communities through organizations and businesses. Their powerful impact is inspiring, and it’s highly encouraging for everyone connected to this platform – from participants to supporting organizations – who have contributed to its success, which is safeguarding human rights of all, specifically women and girls, enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan”, said Sameena Nazir.

Since 2008, PODA has been organizing a conference annually in October, coinciding with the International Day of Rural Women. This year’s conference brought attention to crucial themes, including gender equality, economic empowerment, decision-making, political participation, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, legal identity, and eradication of child marriage, with a specific emphasis on setting 18 years as a unified marriage age for girls in Pakistan. The conference underscored the importance of addressing these interconnected issues to promote women’s empowerment and sustainable development, particularly in the face of climate change, which disproportionately affects women and girls in rural areas, necessitating targeted investments to support their resilience and adaptation efforts.

For more information, contact: 03215823869 – communications@poda.org.pk