Tapestry: Inspiring Women Leaders

Mehergarh: A Center for Learning successfully concluded a three-day residential training on ‘Advanced Women Leadership: Indigenous Strategies for Women’s Progress’. The training was based on Dr. Fouzia Saeed’s book, “Tapestry: Strands of Women’s Struggle Woven into the History of Pakistan,” which provides a historical perspective on the role of women in shaping Pakistan’s political history and highlights their struggles and contributions.

The Advanced Women Leadership Training aimed to empower women leaders and equip them with the necessary skills to strategize the challenges of leadership in their respective fields. Tapestry covers the history of Pakistan from 1940 to about 2018, divided into seven different eras, which she calls’strands’ in her book. Each strand discusses the role women played during that period, as well as the strategies women leaders used based on the political scenario of the time and what needs to be done in the future.

Dr. Saeed explained that she wrote it because the next generation needs to know about the Pakistani women leaders and their contributions. She says: “It is a gift for future generations, ensuring they know their history and don’t have to start from scratch.”

Ms. Samar Minallah Khan, a well-known filmmaker and anthropologist who is also featured in the book, joined the training on the second day. She interacted with the participants, sharing her experiences on women’s issues and how she raised her voice through documentaries and films. Ms. Minallah discussed subjects like child marriage, child labor, and traditions that violate women’s rights through her films. She shared the strategies she uses to work towards the protection of women and young girls from harmful practices like compensation marriage with the participants.

Maryam Bibi, the guest speaker for the training, has been running an organization ‘Khwendo Kor’ for three decades, working on women’s education, financial empowerment, and health. She shared her life experience, detailing her journey from being an unwanted female child to becoming a strong, independent woman, influencing thousands of lives and working towards the goal of collective growth.

The training brought together a diverse group of women leaders from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Quetta, and Multan, including educationalists, anthropologists, students, and women’s rights activists. It provided a platform for participants to learn from each other’s experiences and build a network of like-minded individuals committed to working on the issues close to their hearts.

The participants expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to learn from Dr. Fouzia Saeed’s extensive experience and knowledge in the field of women’s rights and leadership, in general and “Tapestry” in particular. They also expressed their gratitude for the supportive and inclusive learning environment created by Mehergarh.

Rahila Babar

The author is working as the Program and Media Coordinator at Mehergarh: A Center for Learning.

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