HYDERABAD: Two-Day moot on women’s leadership titled “Let’s Drop the Gender Mask” organized by Department of Community Medicine & Public Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, in collaboration with Ministry of Youth Affairs, Government of Sindh was concluded on Saturday. The Vice Chancellor (VC) of LUMHS, Prof. Noshad A. Shaikh said in his address to the moot that many scientific, research and health orientated conferences were arranged by the University in the past, but this conference was an exclusive event aimed to empower youth and women. “Since we are here to address the issue of gender equality, it is important to highlight some statistics,” The Chairperson of the Conference, Pro VC, LUMHS, Prof. Aneela Atta Ur Rahman said. According to USAID, around the world nearly 98 million girls are not in school. Globally, 1 in 3 women experience gender-based violence in her lifetime. In the developing world, 1 in 7 girls, is married before her 15th birthday, while child brides are as young as 8 or 9 years of ages. Each year more than 287,000 women, 99 percent of them in developing countries, she cited. Guest of Honor, Abid Hussain Bhayo, who is Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Sindh for Youth Affairs, said that “Life isn’t about finding yourself; it’s about creating yourself”. Youth should be encouraged to explore the world and learn about themselves. As a result, they discover and practice their interests and skills, test their independence, and take control of their lives, he added. “Let’s Drop the Gender Mask” was the theme of the moot ended with a note to have more freedoms for women for their betterment and for a better world.