Ms. Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation Karachi and Ms. Fareeda Tahir, Program Officer, arranged an advocacy meeting with Mr. Ahmed Bakhsh Narejo, Secretary Minorities, Government of Sindh.  In the meeting Mr. Ahmed Bakhsh Nareejo said that their department is working for safeguarding, protecting and promoting the rights of minorities. “The Government of Pakistan is responsible to guarantee equal rights to minority communities under Article 25 of the Constitution and we are coordinating with Federal Government on minority affairs”, he further said.

While briefing the Secretary Minorities on Aurat Foundation’s work, Ms. Mahnaz Rahman, said that they are continuously lobbying with MNAs, MPAs, Government officials, Police Department, Lawyers, NGOs, CBOs and minorities leaders on women’s rights issues.  During the last few years Sindh Assembly  has passed some important women and minorities rights bills like ‘The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2013’, ‘The Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act 2013’, ‘The Sindh Hindu Marriage bill, 2015’, and  struggling  hard that the  Forced Conversion Bill shall also be passed from the Sindh Assembly.

Ms. Fareeda Tahir said that Aurat  Foundation has  conducted Focus Group Discussions with  minorities and one meetings with concerned government officials for the allocation of 5% quota of jobs for minorities.