Nina Sughrue and Linda Bishai of the Education and Training Center International conducted a three-day workshop in Islamabad for Pakistani women leaders on negotiation and problem solving, in conjunction with local think tank the Sustainable Development and Policy Institute (SDPI) October 23-25, 2007.
Nina Sughrue and Linda Bishai of the Education and Training Center International conducted a three-day workshop in Islamabad for Pakistani women leaders on negotiation and problem solving, in conjunction with local think tank the Sustainable Development and Policy Institute (SDPI) October 23-25, 2007. The women hailed from Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta, and were from a wide range of backgrounds - government, NGOs, academia, private sector, and media. All were leaders in their organizations and were enthusiastically seeking to improve skills in order to achieve their professional goals more effectively.
Pakistani women can act as natural mediators and peacebuilders in Pakistan; however, they face severe challenges in society due to discrimination. The workshop objectives therefore were to strengthen participants´ leadership skills, such as recognizing different conflict styles, how gender issues affect negotiation, and how female negotiators can maximize their effectiveness in Pakistani society.
The workshop also focused on enhancing the capacity of Pakistani women in communication and problem-solving. Additionally, the workshop provided a forum for the women leaders to network and build relationships, which will help strengthen Pakistani civil society.
The participants greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn and apply the newly taught skills in a range of real-life situations, and looked forward to applying their new tools both in advancing their professional agendas and in helping to build a more secure and stable Pakistan.
