Backdrop
A conference of Human Rights Activists was organized in Sungi head office Abbottabad on Nov 22, 2009.The theme of the conference was “Protection & Promotion of Women Rights” 

Objective
The prime objective of the conference was to facilitate human rights activist get together share their annual progress regarding ‘protection and promotion of Women Rights’. Present deteriorating peace situation of the country was also an agenda point of the conference. The conference provided an opportunity to human and democratic rights activists worked in their respective group to develop a charter of demand (CoD) on the issues of human & democratic rights in their respective areas.  

200 men and women human and democratic rights activist from district Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram and Muzaffarabad were the participants of HR activist conference.  

1. MUZAFFARABAD GROUP

Identified Problems  

1. Unequal access to job for females in both public and private institutions  

2. Lack of recognition to females reproductive work  

3. Enrollment ratio of girls is far lesser than that of boys in educational institutions  

4. Gender discrimination is prevalent both in domestic and community level  

5. To marry off a girl and boy against their will by force  

6. Lack of women’s participations in the decisions of community  

7. Female children have to give up their inherited property after getting married  

8. Despite her equal citizenship, still women’s mobility is hindered by culture  

9. Responsibility of care of children and elderly is considered women’s responsibility only  

10. Women are intentionally kept ignored from political activities  

Proposed solutions  

1. A quota system should be introduced in job opportunities for females at regional and

    sub-regional level  

2. Need for awareness campaign for the recognition of women’s reproductive rights  

3. Need to make School Management Committees (SMCs) functional  

4. Female children should be given rights according to Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

    to eradicate gender discrimination  

5. Marital Rights of Islam should be given to every adult  

6. Equal participation of males and females must be insured in community decisions  

7. Females must be given property rights according to Islam  

8. Sexual harassments and other deeds leading to insecurity must be abolished for ensuring

    women’s mobility  

9. Reproductive work should be shared  

10. Women’s right to expression, right to vote and right to contest election must be granted  

2. ABBOTTABAD GROUP

Identified Problems  

1. Lack of female education because of schools shortage and parents’ negligence  

2. Infringement of Human Rights by police  

3. Insufficient health facilities  

4. Impolite and inhuman behavior of Public Officials  

5. PWDs (Differently able) are not given enough facilities for their basic necessities of life  

Proposed solutions  

1. Sufficient schools and awareness raising campaigns for the importance of education needs

    to be arranged  

2. Community should play their role to protect their rights  

3. Establishment of BHUs, provision of medicines, sufficient staff provision and elimination

    of corruption  

4. Proper measures should be taken to eliminate rudeness of public officials by the government  

5. Differently able People should be provided sufficient facilities to lead their lives respectfully  

3 . MANSEHRA GROUP  

Identified Problems  

1. Hospitals are there but staff is not available especially lady doctors  

2. To marry off a girl and boy against their will by force  

3. Women are intentionally kept ignored from political activities  

4. Females have to give up their inherited property after getting married  

5. Attacks on NGOs due to religious extremism  

6. Discriminatory attitude of police towards poor people  

7. Defiance of human rights because of sectoral violence  

8. Islamic rights like Haq e Mehar, property share etc of females are violated  

9. Rule of Law is not prevalent  

Proposed solutions  

1. Provision of Sufficient staff especially of lady doctors  

2. Marital Rights of Islam should be given to every adult  

3. Women’s right to expression, right to vote and right to conduct election must be granted  

4. Females must be given property rights according to Islam and Sharia  

5. Awareness raising campaign against religious extremism  

6. Actions should be taken to eradicate monopoly of police  

7. Eradication of sectarianism through awareness raising campaigns  

8. There should be organizations at community levels to protect women’s rights  

9. Bale of guilty should not be accepted for bribe  

4. BATTAGRAM GROUP  

Identified Problems  

1. Lack of female education because of schools shortage and parents’ neglecting  

2. Prevalence of child marriages/early marriages  

3. Problems of education and livelihood for disabled  

4. Absence of lady doctors  

5. Corruption by the personnel of authority  

6. Unpaved and poor condition of link roads  

7. Shortage of safe drinking water  

8. Rapid deforestation  

Proposed solutions  

1. Sufficient schools and awareness raising campaigns for the importance of education 
    needs to be arranged  

2. Adult marriages by the willingness of both male and female  

3. Institutions for the welfare of Disabled should be made functional  

4. Contacts should be made to chief minister for adequate health facilities  

5. Political interference should be removed from public institutes  

6. Construction of paved roads  

7. Provision of safe drinking water should be insured  

8. Awareness campaigns for the importance of plantation  

5. HARIPUR GROUP  
The group work of Haripur region was facilitated by Mr. Nadir Shah is as under:  

Identified Problems  

1. Infringement of property rights  

2. Insufficient facilities of education  

3. Absence of sufficient funds for female councilors  

4. Insufficient health facilities  

5. Infringement of female property rights  

6. Prevalence of domestic violence  

7. Increased unemployment rate  

8. Lack of freedom of expression for women  

9. Defiance of human rights because of sectoral violence  

10. Corruption by the personnel of authority  

Proposed solutions  

1. There should be a pressure group in Supreme Court for the rights of tenants  

2. Provision of sufficient education facilities  

3. Particular fund quota should be fixed for female councilors  

4. Provision of basic health units should be insured  

5. Provision of female property rights according to Sharia  

6. Marital decisions should be taken after satisfactory investigation  

7. Creation of job opportunities  

8. Need to sensitize people about women’s rights  

9. Eradication of sectarianism through awareness raising campaigns  

10. Political interference should be removed from public institutes  

Mukhtar Javed Manager Human Rights Programme welcomed the participants and told them about the objectives of the conference. Aqsa Khan human rights activists gave a detailed presentation on bills passed against sexual harassment at work place. Aimal Khan Manager Policy Advocacy took a session on deteriorating peace situation in the country and answered the question raised by the participants. Sheikh Asad Rahaman Director Programmes briefed the participants about Balouchistan situation and distributed a petition among the participants for signatures.  

Launching Sungi’s first Human Rights Monitor:
HR programme also launched Sungi’s first ever HR monitor at this occasion. Manager Human Rights Programme presented the monitor before the participants. Director Operation Sheikh Asad Rahman at this occasion formally launched HR monitor by hading over its copies to Sungi’s activists, representatives of GLAs and Media.