Faisalabad: February 24, 2010. (Shafiq Sharif reports for PCP) Arooj-e-Mariam Catholic Church organized a 3-days orientation workshop titled “Education for Human Rights and Peace Building” on February 19-21, 2010, at Centre for Peace and Harmony in Faisalabad. Fr. Nisar Barkat (Director-NCJP), Fr. Khalid Rasheed Asi, Sister Nasreen Daniel, Suneel Malik (Secretary-NCJP), Najeeb Ali Shah, Naseem Anthony (Executive Secretary-AWAM), Sadaqat Sardar (Coordinaot-Caritas), Shazia George (Coordinator-AWAM), Anwar Chaudhry Advocate, Farrukh Hameed Advocate, Shahid Anwar, Rosemary Noel (Coordinator-PCWO), Aqsa Kanwal and Naila Arooj were among the facilitators. Thrity-seven Muslim and Christian trainees including teachers and representatives of NGOs actively participated in the workshop. Fr. Nisar Barkat said, “We have to make certain changes in our behavior and must overcome the violence in our homes to make the society developed, peaceful, non-violent and prosperous”. “It is responsibility of a good leader to raise voice against injustices and human rights violations which leave negative effects on the society”, he added. Fr. khalid Rasheed Asi said, “promotion of peace is our duty and access to justice is our right, therefore peace cannot prevail without ensuring justice and human rights in the country, because where there is justice, there is peace and where there is peace, there is respect for human rights”. Najeeb Ali Shah termed the tribalism, sectarianism and feudalism as obstacles in the way of peace, tolerance and justice. “Religion should be separated from the state affairs; agriculture reforms should be enforced; tribal areas should be included in Pakistan; syllabus of religious seminaries should be equipped with modern technology and seminaries should be monitored, to ensure existence of Pakistan”, he added. Suneel Malik said, “Promotion of human rights and peace is impossible unless we give the equal rights to the marginalized groups (women, minorities and children), therefore Government must take measures to ensure removal of class division and deprivation, for building a just and peaceful society, free of religious extremism and intolerance”. Shazia George said, “Women are compelled to confine themselves within homes in our society and they are not even involved in decision making in all aspects of life”. “Women empowerment is impossible unless women are allowed to take decision of their own lives and they must be allowed to take part in the political process”, she added. Farrukh Hameed Advocate said, “Laws for the defense of human rights are just paper work in Pakistan, therefore people have lost confidence in justice and judiciary due to improper implementation upon domestic laws”. Sr. Nasreen Danial said, “Women have been victim of violence since centuries in the cover of typical cultural traditions, therefore there is a need to provide them equal opportunities and representation in all spheres of life”. The facilitators of the workshop called upon the Government to: • Abolish all forms of discriminations existing in the constitution, laws, policies and curriculum against women and religious minorities; • Ensure implementation upon the existing domestic laws for the protection of human rights and rule of law; • Curriculum must be free from all kinds of hatred material and syllabus must be made a source for the promotion of human rights, peace, equality, harmony, tolerance and social values; • Media should avoid advertising discriminatory material against any religion, and should play its positive role for the promotion of peace and religious tolerance.