Girls education in Swat to be restored.

PESHAWAR: Women Awareness & Development Organization (WADO) working for the welfare of women and young girls in Swat completed a challenging project on restoration of girl’s education in the war torn district under the active supervision of its Executive Director Ms. Zakia Noreen while its fruitful results were also evident then. Though this was an uphill task and it was very difficult in the present scenario of the area to undertake such project, but it was made possible due to the assistance of local elite. The support extended y the locals in the existing situation was of course unprecedented. The organization imparted training to thirty one local religious leaders in the light of Quran & Sunnah highlighting the need for women education. Besides a set of literature, emphasizing the need for awareness regarding rights of women was also disseminated. The training covered almost all aspects including the rights of women especially the right of getting education. The trained religious leaders were expected to deliver speeches in the Friday congregations in mosques. They succeeded in explaining with examples the correct and true version of Islam regarding rights of women where women education as well as women mobility is not prohibited any where; rather women education in all walks of life is compulsory in Islamic society. Similarly a peace walk was also arranged to show concern over the ban imposed by the so-called Islamists on women education. A peace message was conveyed to the militants to show mercy on the already pathetic condition of women of the area, who have already suffered a lot and deserve to be given kind consideration. Media has also shown keen interest and was not left behind in highlighting the cause of women of the area in the headlines of their news. The organization specifically trained fifteen media persons for the purposes, who highlighted the importance of girl’s education through articles in newspapers. The terrified community leaders also contributed in offering their services to avail such training and to further mobilize the community on this point. Since the community and the common man is fed up with the situation, so they want to get rid of it and so they very eagerly contributed their part in furthering the cause of the organization in the public at large. It is estimated that a vast population, approximately four hundred thousand women and girls got benefit of the endeavors made so far by the organization. The credit goes to the organization as the militants recently announced to take back their already imposed ban on women education, which will result into the opening of hundreds of girl’s schools in the area once again and the women teachers and staff will be again able to perform their duties and earn their livelihood in a prestigious manner.