Kaif Afridi
Faheema Bibi, 55 and a resident of Mardan is among her area’s elders. She stands side by side with male and made her place in the society. A resident Bakat Ganj area of the district, she was first elected female councilor for the first time in 2000 and worked day and night to solve her area’s issues.
She told TNN that it was not easy for women to become role model in a male dominated society. “It was not easy for a woman to attend jirgas, resolving domestic disputes and taking women issues to court was not easy job for a woman.
She said for the first time when she tried to speak in family dispute, she was harshly criticized. However, when her efforts helped the resolved the matter; those criticizing her were forced to acknowledge Faheema’s role. These days, she helps resolving women issues.
Ms Faheema told TNN that without her husband support; she would not have able to fully utilize her potential. “I come forward due to my husband and faced all those problems, which are not easy for a woman in Pashtun society,” Ms Faheema said.
Ms Faheema said that she still remembered those taunts of woman cannot resolve issues through jirga. “However, to prove that a woman could do anything, I came forward and proved all those naysayers wrongs,” she added.
Besides, Ms Faheema said that she had taken training sessions with NGOs, which were very beneficial for her. She added that these sessions resulted into high woman turnout in the first phase of LG polls in province which took place on December 19 last year.
Ms Faheema said that they helped resolve issues of the women in the area. “We have resolved issues of inheritance, Sawara and divorce and helped getting women their rights according to Islam,” she said.
Besides, Ms Faheema said in the start when people to call her names when she came out of her home; however, now all those same people invite her to resolve their issues.
She added that women were fully capable of doing anything; however, most society hindered them.
“Someday the society will realize that the society could not progress without women’s participation,” she said.
She said that women should be given to opportunities to play their role in all spheres of all life, like rest of the world.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s 52 per cent of population comprises of women. However, only 1 per cent of them was employed while businesswoman percentage was even less than that.
However, the number of women was increasing in walks of life due to increase in number of educational institutions and other facilities for women.
Besides, there was urgent need for equal opportunities for working and businesswoman.
Government also needs to support these women and women representation in society should also need to be enhanced so that competent women do not feel hindered.
