Empowerment and Change: Women's Role in Pakistan

The speaker shares her journey from a small town in Pakistan, highlighting the challenges women face in politics and society. She discusses her efforts to empower women through education and political participation, despite cultural and political obstacles. Her story includes founding an organization, running for office, and training women for leadership roles. The narrative emphasizes the importance of women's representation and leadership in creating societal change.

What was the educational situation in Dir at the time of the speaker's birth?

• Girls had more educational opportunities than boys.

• Education was mandatory for all children.

• Only a small percentage of boys and girls received schooling.

• Most children attended school.

What motivated the speaker to found her own organization in 1994?

• Pressure from her family.

• The need to create a platform for women's empowerment.

• A government mandate.

• A desire to travel the world.

What challenge did the speaker face after being elected to public office?

• She was not allowed to participate in council meetings.

• She received widespread support from male colleagues.

• She was immediately promoted to a higher position.

• She was given a large budget to work with.

What was a significant factor in the lack of attention to women's needs during the Taliban's rise?

• Underrepresentation of women in social and political platforms.

• A focus on women's needs by the government.

• Overrepresentation of women in politics.

• A surplus of resources for women's issues.

What was the outcome of the training program for women and youth for the 2015 local elections?

• Fifty percent of the participants won.

• The program was canceled.

• All participants lost the elections.

• None of the participants ran for office.

Who is Saira Shams and what did she achieve?

• A journalist who wrote about women's issues.

• A public office holder who completed community infrastructure projects.

• A teacher who educated girls in Dir.

• A doctor who provided healthcare to women.

What role did Asma Gul take on in her community?

• She ran for public office.

• She opened a school for girls.

• She became the first female journalist in her region.

• She became a teacher.

How did the number of women voters in Dir change from 2013 to the recent general elections?

• It remained the same.

• It decreased significantly.

• It was not recorded.

• It increased to 93,000.

What is the speaker's vision for women's leadership globally?

• To limit women's roles to traditional jobs.

• To focus solely on women's education.

• To discourage women from entering politics.

• To invest in women's leadership in politics, business, and decision-making.

What does the speaker hope to achieve by sharing her story?

• To discourage women from pursuing leadership roles.

• To inspire others to support young women and create opportunities.

• To highlight the challenges of living in Dir.

• To promote her organization exclusively.