Faisalabad: June 10, 2010. (PCP) On 6th June 2010, AWAM Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation conducted a training workshop titled “Community Education for Democracy and Human Rights” in collaboration with TFD (Taiwan Foundation for Democracy), which was joined by 48 participants from different spheres of life. Shazia George (Coordinator-AWAM), Suneel Malik (Secretary-NCJP), Nazia Sardar, Zafar Iqbal and Naseem Hameed were among the facilitators of the workshop, held at Govt. Girls Primary School in Sohal, Faisalabad. Shazia George said, “In a democratic society, human rights are respected and equal opportunities are provided to the citizens.” “Democracy cannot prevail in any society having discrimination and prejudice among citizens on the basis of colour, race, language, sex, sect and religion,” she added. Suneel Malik said, “Dividing citizens in majority and minority on the basis of faith is not a healthy symbol for democracy, because religious intolerance has grown its roots due to the involvement of religion in the state affairs.” “A society having discrimination on the basis of religion comes to an end after passing through process of division by division,” he added. Zafar Iqbal said, “In order to establish a democratic system in Pakistan, we need to promote democratic values such as; equality, justice, love, peace, tolerance, difference of opinion, consultation, unity, safeguard and diligence.” “We also need to discourage undemocratic values such as; inequality, discrimination, hatred, violence, prejudice, obedience, supremacy, separation, fear and exploitation,” he added. Nazia Sardar said, “It is the duty of a democratic state to: provide safety and security of lives and properties of the citizens, adopt people friendly laws and policies, run system of the state, guarantee basic human needs and progress of the citizens.” The participants for the progress of democracy in Pakistan demanded that: government must avoid confrontation with judiciary and must ensure implementation of all verdicts of the judiciary; government must pay attention in the new budget to provide basic facilities including free and quality equality, health and sanitation, employment opportunities for poverty alleviation, reduction in inflation and increment in wages, increase in agriculture production, and also take steps for the solution to the problems of persons with disabilities and informal labourers (home based workers, domestic workers and peasant workers); government must take effective measures for the rehabilitation of cyclone affected families in Sindh and Balochistan; education system should be free from any kind of discrimination and must be equipped with modern technology to create values like tolerance, harmony and patriotism in our new generation; appropriate steps must be taken to make our country peaceful by combating extremism and terrorism; religious intolerance must be discouraged and polices must be formulated for the elimination of intolerance in the society; hate material and hate speeches against any religion or sect must be banned through legislation in order to promote religious and sectarian tolerance