Srinagar, 23 July: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference State women’s wing State president Shameema Firdous on Saturday said furthering women’s political participation to ensure that decision-making processes are participatory, responsive, equitable and inclusive is one of the founding principles of the party.
This she said while addressing party’s women wing functionaries and workers at Dak Bungalow Sopore. Among others North Zone President Javed Dar, Women’s Wing Provincial President, Kashmir Er. Sabiya Qadri, party leader Irshad Kar also addressed the meet.
Addressing the functionaries and workers, Shameema Firdous said that there was a great need to make administration and political class more accountable to women’s aspirations and basic needs. “Political accountability to women will begin with increasing the number of women in decision-making positions, but it doesn’t end there. What is required are gender-sensitive governance reforms that will make all elected officials more effective at promoting gender equality in public policy and ensuring their implementation. To achieve that end, the women’s wing is religiously following the directions of the party leadership and focusing on the entry of more women from varied socio-economic, cultural and educational backgrounds into the party fold with an aim of catalysing wide-ranging, long-term impacts,” she said.
Ensuring respect for women in the context of their domestic and social life, Firdous said that it was one of the directive principles of the party’s progressive and emancipatory ‘Naya Kashmir’ manifesto.
“Not even a day passes, when we don’t receive communication from educated women, college going girl students, artisan women, and house wives wanting to join JKNC. Our doors are open for all. We will and we are in fact receiving everyone with open arms. Having more women as political leaders will create a ripple effect and yield Socio- economic benefits for our mothers and sisters across J&K,” she added.
