Karachi, 17 Oct 2023:A pressing seminar at Dow University of Health Sciences shed light on the alarming societal issue of neglecting girl children in Pakistan, emphasizing that discriminatory treatment begins even before their birth. With startling figures such as 99% of new-borns found discarded being female, the seminar, held in Arag Auditorium of Dow Medical College in collaboration with Dr. K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, underscored the urgent need for societal reform. Key speakers at the event included esteemed faculty members and the University’s Registrar, Dr. Ashar Afaq.
Dr. Afaq voiced the university’s unwavering stance on harassment prevention, ensuring attendees of strict enforcement of laws against harassment and sexual misconduct within the institution’s bounds. The university’s proactive measures include the visible display of the Anti-harassment cell contact and email information, guaranteeing immediate actions on received complaints.
Shedding light on challenges faced by girls, Professor Muzammil Shabana Ejaz highlighted issues like early marriages, sexual abuse, and workplace disadvantages. She noted alarming data revealing 90% of women, approximately 2.2 billion under the age of 25, lack internet access. Adding to the discourse, Dr. Shumaila Khalid emphasized the necessity of women empowerment, and Dr. Waseem Jamalvi referenced a July 2023 report, detailing that almost 12 children, predominantly girls, fall victim to physical abuse daily.
The seminar saw Professor Ammarah Jamal advocating for a more profound, holistic approach to empower women, emphasizing the critical role of educating both girls and boys equally. The longstanding societal practices can only change when both genders are well-informed and educated. She noted that Islam was the pioneer in forbidding abhorrent practices like burying daughters alive.
Professor Fehmina Arif pressed for gender equality, emphasizing that the lower female workforce is majorly due to prevalent harassment. She called for parents to value and respect their daughters’ thoughts and perspectives, urging for a decline in early marriages and ensuring workplace rights for women.
Highlighting women’s autonomy, Professor Aisha Mehnaaz called for empowering women to have control over their lives for a more profound societal impact. Warning of the perils of digital media for girls and the deceptive nature of online relationships, she advocated for self-improvement through knowledge enhancement. Her advice to young women was to explore and understand their surroundings, drawing inspiration from a Quranic verse emphasizing the value of human life. This information was sourced from the Dow University of Health Sciences. The seminar culminated with Dr. Ashar Afaq distributing recognition shields to the speakers and organizers for their invaluable contributions.