JAMMU: Asserting that the National Conference has all along been striving for gender equality, party president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday laid emphasis on political empowerment of women and their larger role in policy planning and decision-making.
"Involvement of women in decision-making and policy planning is necessary for achieving comprehensive, unbiased and sustainable development, which will eventually lead to harmonious growth of the society," Abdullah, a former chief minister, said.
Interacting with the newly constituted provincial women wing of the party at a function here, Abdullah referred to measures taken by his party over the years for women empowerment and emancipation and said this is necessary for promoting leadership roles among them.
Provincial president of the women wing Satwant Kour Dogra introduced the new office-bearers.
Congratulating them, Abdullah said due to the prevailing situation the women of Jammu and Kashmir have been the worst sufferers.
"Discrimination and depravity at the societal and domestic-level with our mothers and sisters is not unknown in this part of the world.
Rising unemployment and inflation in J&K is also having a cascading effect on our promising women, he said.
"Having women in politics, it goes without saying, will attune party policies towards the needs of women and prepare them for the leadership roles to face the challenges of the present and future," he said.
"The need of the hour is to provide a platform to aspiring women and help in creating impactful voices to take on the looming challenges, he said and hoped that the functionaries would reach out to the people and help solve their problems.