Daily Times

United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency and UN Women, the UN entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, brought together the work of indigenous female artisans and students of Pakistan and Afghanistan in a handicraft and art exhibition at the Peshawar University on Tuesday.

The exhibition was organised to commemorate the International Women’s Day – being observed globally to recognise women’s contributions and celebrate their social, economic, cultural and political achievements. This year’s theme is “think equal, build smart and innovate for change”. The exhibition displayed delicate Pakistani and Afghan handicrafts featuring handmade dresses and jewellery. Pakistan and Afghan students also portrayed their imagination through their colours at the exhibition.

Senator Dr Meher Taj Roghani was the chief guest at the occasion. The event was attended by UNHCR Head Dinesh Shrestha, UN Women Head Zainab Qaiser Khan, Afghan Refugees Commissioner Muhammad Abbas Khan, Home Economics College Principal Dr Kaneez Fatima, Women Parliamentary Caucus Chairperson Maliha Asghar Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, students and faculty members of Peshawar University, and officials from government, UN agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Speaking at the occasion, Dinesh Shrestha said that Pakistan continues to host 1.4 million Afghan refugees, of which 46 percent are women and girls.

He said that UNHCR has been providing livelihoods development opportunities to refugees and their host communities to enhance their self-reliance and economic capacity.