Srinagar, Sep 24: The Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR) in collaboration with Women for Peace is organizing an intra-Kashmir cross-LoC women’s conference from September 27 at the world famous tourist resort of Gulmarg.
The three day conference titled “Women’s Role in Society: Issues of Mutual Concern” will be attended by 45 participants from Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan administered Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Director CDR Sushobha Barve said the conference will address women’s roles in peace-building, policy-making, socio-economic and legal issues in women’s empowerment.
She said former director general, curriculum research and text book development and Press for Peace chief Tanveer Lateef, Women Welfare Organisation founder-president Syeda Najma Shakur, Quaid-e-Azam University professor Shaheen Akhter, Gilgit-Baltistan parliamentarian Amina Bibi and others will participate in the conference.
She said in the recent past there has been a more urgent recognition that peace, especially sustainable peace, requires equal participation from both women and men in society.
“The ongoing lack of women’s inclusion or participation in the debate on the issues of national interest and security will lead to the absence of women’s voice in any accord or resolution that may be achieved. The women’s participation is even more necessary as they have borne the brunt of the instability, armed conflict and violence and as a result have suffered destitution and displacement,” she added.
Sushoba said the exchanges of information and ideas from the dialogue will be shared on September 30 in Srinagar, where a wider cross-section of women and men will join conference participants and offer feedback and a greater engagement with the issues raised.
CDR has held a series of dialogues between various stakeholders and civil society actors from the regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir since 2003. As part of these efforts, CDR organised its first Intra-Kashmir Women’s Conference in November, 2007.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:00:00 IST