Islamabad, October 29,2026: Around 2,000 women leaders from 120 districts across Pakistan called for equal rights, dignity, inclusion and greater representation in decision-making as the 19th Annual Rural Women Leadership Training Conference, organized by the Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA), concluded in Islamabad on Thursday.
Representing all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan, participants unanimously adopted a resolution outlining demands for stronger protection of women’s rights, improved access to education and healthcare, economic empowerment and the inclusion of women with disabilities and other marginalized communities in policymaking.
Held under the theme “Women with Disabilities Driving Inclusive Change and Leadership,” the conference highlighted social attitudes, inaccessible facilities and gaps in public policy as major barriers to meaningful inclusion.
Addressing the concluding session, Sindh Minister for Women Development Shaheena Sher Ali appreciated PODA for providing women with a platform to raise concerns and advocate policy reforms.
She highlighted several initiatives by the Sindh government, saying the province had issued its first Kisan Card to a woman and provided house ownership to one million women, with another 1.3 million expected to benefit. She also referred to the Pink Bus initiative and a taxi scheme intended to facilitate women passengers and drivers.
Discussing child marriage legislation, Sher Ali said Sindh’s Child Marriage Restraint Act of 2013 had inspired similar legislation in Punjab, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was working on its own law. She also highlighted reserved seats for transgender persons in government departments and the presence of transgender lawyers in Sindh.
She urged women to speak openly about the challenges they faced, saying problems needed to be brought to policymakers’ attention before effective solutions could be developed.
Munazza Gillani, Director for Pakistan and the Middle East at Sightsavers, identified the lack of reliable data as a major obstacle to including persons with disabilities in public policy. She called for better grassroots data collection, stronger representation of women with disabilities and measures to improve their financial independence.
Gillani also highlighted the Beyond Barriers project, which seeks to improve access to financial literacy and assistance for women with disabilities.
Mental health expert and psychologist Naima Hassan called for more inclusive language and greater sensitivity towards persons with disabilities. She encouraged women to adopt positive attitudes, prioritize self-care and support one another in overcoming social and psychological barriers.
Abia Akram, founder of the National Forum of Women with Disabilities, said many women with disabilities remained confined to their homes and lacked opportunities to participate fully in society. She highlighted their vulnerability to gender-based violence and the additional challenges they faced during natural disasters, calling for stronger advocacy and accessible services.
Imrana Rubab, Deputy Director at the Council on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Department, Lahore, briefed participants on support programmes, including the Himmat Card and assistance through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
Acknowledging registration-related difficulties, she encouraged women with disabilities to complete the required formalities and assured them that the department was available to facilitate access to support.
Amal Basha, chairperson of Egypt’s Sisters Arabic Forum, urged women leaders to build alliances, continue learning, trust their abilities and remain persistent in pursuing their goals. She identified working in isolation, losing confidence, prioritizing personal interests over collective objectives and abandoning efforts in the face of difficulties as challenges to women’s rights movements.
PODA Executive Director Sameena Nazir reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to translating women’s demands into practical action.
“The demands raised by rural women leaders from across Pakistan must translate into concrete policies, effective implementation and equal opportunities,” she said, adding that networking and collaboration were essential to progress.
Nazir said PODA would continue supporting rural women in their efforts to secure their rights, dignity and equal participation in decision-making.
Women’s economic empowerment through agriculture
A separate session, titled “Olive Culture, Empowering Women in Agriculture in Pakistan: Challenges and Opportunities,” examined how olive cultivation could strengthen rural livelihoods and expand economic opportunities for women farmers. The session was moderated by Dr. Fozia Kanwal.
Paolo Gallizioli, head of Italian Cooperation in Pakistan and Afghanistan, identified economic self-reliance, access to knowledge, the ability to raise one’s voice and resilience as important elements of women’s empowerment.
He outlined Italian Cooperation’s priorities in gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and rural livelihoods, noting that women farmers continued to face barriers to land ownership, credit, loans and technical training.
Gallizioli said the olive project demonstrated the potential of rural women when provided with appropriate opportunities and institutional support. He noted that olive cultivation had expanded to more than 60 districts across Pakistan and announced that the next phase of the project would be launched in Sindh.
Dr. Francesco De Musso, an international agriculture expert at CIHEAM Bari, Italy, said the project had been operating in Pakistan since 2022 and worked directly with communities through 36 Olive Business Development Groups (OBDGs).
The initiative supports women farmers through technical guidance, economic assistance, training and tools, covering the production process from cultivation to the finished product.
De Musso emphasized that women and young people were integral partners in the initiative rather than merely beneficiaries. He reaffirmed the project’s commitment to working with all 36 OBDGs and expressed hope that the initiative would benefit future generations.
Resolution calls for comprehensive reforms
The resolution adopted by participants called for immediate birth registration for all girls, faster issuance of B-Forms and Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), voter registration and penalties for unnecessary delays.
It also demanded NADRA registration campaigns in girls’ schools, 100 per cent enrolment of girls in schools and mobile registration camps linked with BISP, bank accounts and mobile wallets to improve access to public services and financial inclusion.
The women leaders called for accessible registration and voting facilities for women with disabilities and urged the integration of gender-based violence prevention, reproductive healthcare and safe shelters into climate change and disaster management policies.
On agricultural and economic rights, the resolution demanded formal recognition of women field workers as farmers, distribution of state land to landless women, interest-free loans and affordable insurance. Participants also called for free training in olive cultivation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital safety to strengthen women’s skills and economic participation.
The resolution further urged strict enforcement of anti-harassment laws, accessible public buildings, sign language services and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in decision-making.
Participants called for a minimum marriage age of 18 years across all provinces, effective enforcement of women’s property rights and protection of minority women against forced conversion and marriage.
Recognizing the importance of mental health and community-level support, the resolution proposed mandatory mental health counselling, peer-support mechanisms and Women Resource Hubs at district and union council levels.
The proposed hubs would provide legal assistance, skills training, healthcare, market information and disability-related support through trained local women and mobile outreach services.
The resolution also emphasized equal participation for girls and women, people in remote and vulnerable communities, transgender persons and persons with disabilities.
Legal aid and voter awareness activities held
Women leaders, including Bushra Tabassum, Huma Irshad, Naseem Akhter, MPA Shameela Aslam, Mudassira Arif, Rimsha Sehr, Najma Khan, Shanti, Seeta Kohli and Saman Ahsan, highlighted challenges facing women in their communities and called for stronger policy action and improved access to essential services.
PODA also organized a Mobile Legal Aid Clinic to provide women with legal guidance and information about their rights.
A mock polling station familiarized participants with the voting process and allowed them to practise casting their ballots correctly to avoid rejection during elections.
Stalls set up by women entrepreneurs showcased handicrafts and other locally produced items, highlighting women’s entrepreneurial potential and the need to expand market access.
The conference concluded with rural women leaders pledging to continue collective advocacy for equal rights, inclusive development, economic empowerment and greater representation in decision-making across Pakistan.
