This year, United Nations Information Center in Pakistan organised three activities in collaboration with Oxfam GB on International Women's Day from 7 - 12 March 2006.
A popular radio station FM99 collaborated with UNIC and Oxfam to produce a series of radio programmes to highlight Women's Day from 7 through 12 March 2006. UNIC arranged exclusive interviews by FM99 with the heads of UNHCR and UNFPA, which were incorporated in a special programme on the day broadcast on 8 March. Spots highlighting the Day were run throughout the week.
Dialogue session in an Islamabad hotel on 7 March 2006
Ms Anisa Zeb Tahirkhaili, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting,
honoured the session as the chief guest. Panelists were Barrister Shahida Jamil,
Dr France Donnay (Representative, UNFPA), Prof Dr Najma Najam (Vice-Chancellor,
Fatima Jinnah Women University), Major General Shahida Malik, (first woman Major
General), Ms Haleena Iqbal, (S.P. traffic), Ms Ayesha Rabia Naveed, (first woman
pilot), and Ms Yasmeen Lari, (first woman architect). The session was moderated
by Mr Tallat Hussain, a renowned journalist and Director News and Current Affairs
of Aaj TV.
Leading women who are in decision-making positions in the country spoke about their experiences in achieving their targets, and a very active dialogue with the audience on views of women empowerment in the society ensued. Approximately 250 people attended the session including all major media organisations and representatives of UN agencies and NGOs as well as university students.
Urdu-language play on 9 March 2006
UNIC and Oxfam also organised an Urdu play "Aakhir Kyon" which was performed by a well-known art performer, Sheema Kirmani, at the National Library Auditorium in Islamabad on 9 March.
Sheema Kirmani is running an NGO, working to create awareness of women issues through performing arts in Pakistan. Through this play, the issues of honour killing, women empowerment and the needs of their active participation and decision-making in the daily life were highlighted.
Ms Nilofar Bakhtiar, Adviser to the Prime Minister for Women Development, participated
in the event as the chief guest. The auditorium which has the capacity of 400
seats was almost full with people from NGOs, universities, officials from the
government and the United Nations, media and civic society attended the event.
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