Islamabad : To create an enabling environment for women and girls and break gender stereotypes, cross sector partnerships between the government, civil society organisations, international organisations, and the private sector play a vital role.

This was stated by the Federal Secretary for Human Rights, Rabiya Javeri Agha, at an interactive webinar on Challenging Gender Norms: The Path to Female Empowerment organised by the Ministry of Human Rights, in collaboration with the European Union

She also proposed the development of a collaborative grass-roots initiative to create opportunities for women in the area of sports.

The panel discussion sought to explore the way that gender norms and stereotypes can be changed and negotiated through diverse mediums, including art, music, film, sports, awareness campaigns and participatory dialogue towards a more open, equal and gender inclusive society. The panel discussion was moderated by Federal Secretary for Human Rights, Rabiya Javeri Agha.

The webinar was held as part of the Reels for Rights film festival that is being held online between the August 4-25 a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Human Rights and the European Union in Pakistan.

The festival has been envisaged as an innovative and effective way to increase awareness and understanding of various human rights issues in Pakistan, with a focus on gender equality and female empowerment.

The panellists included Erum Baloch, the young protagonist of the film A Girl Who Changed a Whole City, which premiered during the festival.

Erum is an inspiring young woman from Jacobabad who pursued her passion of playing Hockey in spite of difficult personal circumstances and societal norms. She successfully formed her very own Stars Women Hockey Academy to give girls an opportunity to pursue their interest in sports.

Erum spoke about the importance of creating more public spaces for women to practice sports, as well as increasing opportunities for women to learn and play professional sports in Pakistan.

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Cross sector partnerships stressed to break gender stereotypes - The News International