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What are Sharmeen Obaid and Sherry Rehman doing at the Women In The World Summit?

What are Sharmeen Obaid and Sherry Rehman doing at the Women In The World Summit?

The annual summit, where world leaders talk about improving women's lives, is taking place in Delhi's Taj Hotel today.
Updated 12 Aug, 2016

Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and senator Sherry Rehman are representing Pakistan at the Women In The World (WITW) summit, taking place at Delhi's Taj Hotel today.

The annual summit, where leaders from all over the globe converge to talk about improving the lives of the world's women, will also host international stars like Cate Blanchett, alongside local luminaries like Madhuri Dixit, Nandita Das and Soha Ali Khan.

While Sharmeen will be moderating a session featuring an Israeli and a Palestinian mother working together to find peace, Robi Damelin and Bushra Awad; Sherry Rehman is speaking at a session titled 'Pakistan's defiant patriot', which is dedicated to her life "at the centre of influence and debate in Pakistan". Rehman will be interviewed by WITW founder Tina Brown herself!

Since the day-long summit's kick-off at 10am, many fascinating sessions have taken place.

Director Deepa Mehta and actors Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi talked about their 1996 film Fire, which explored lesbian relationships – a taboo subject in India.

""It was very important to me that I explore women in situations that might not have been known to the world," explained Deepa Mehta about the motive behind her controversial film. "While some organizations tried to ban Fire, one group did a candlelight march saying, 'We are Indians, and we are lesbians.'"

A panel, consisting of filmmaker R. Balki, actor Soha Ali Khan, model Lakhshmi Memon and Vogue fashion director and celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania, discussed the evolution of beauty ideals in India. A variety of views came forth:

Madhuri Dixit retold her journey as a megastar.

She attributed her success in pushing the envelope for female characters in Bollywood to a strong mother and good parenting:

Other leaders at the event include Iranian female race car driver Laleh Seddigh and the founder of Nigeria’s “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign, former World Bank Vice President for Africa Obiageli Ezekwesili.

Comments

Wijdan Nov 20, 2015 08:47pm
I would love to watch if there is Arundhati Roy.
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GS Nov 20, 2015 10:54pm
Sherry in iiindia ?? Qureshi at Q will be on fire !!!
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Zak Nov 20, 2015 10:55pm
What a wrong country to be hosting women's issue. First they should just curtail the rape epidemic in india and the female infanticide. India is number one in the two scourge of our time.
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kuka Nov 20, 2015 11:09pm
What are Sharmeen Obaid and Sherry Rehman doing at the Women In The World Summit? Answer: Taking pictures with famous actors.
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S Nov 21, 2015 12:25am
sherry rehman is a wonderful sensible speaker but her party, people's party is corrupt to core and currently lacks ideology as well..
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Munawar Hameed Nov 21, 2015 12:36am
I am proud of Sharmeen Obaid. I noticed it at first sight when I met her as her accounts teacher for her 'A' levels studies at Karachi Grammar School, Karachi, that she has a bright mind and will get great success in her life. So, it is proved. Stay blessed Sharmeen.
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Riaz Nov 21, 2015 01:11am
Good party time and media attrection for south asian celebraties and so-called social worker.
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Hasan Nov 21, 2015 01:39am
I wonder if Sherry Rahman is teaching foundation of Corruption there?
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Pardesi Nov 21, 2015 04:30am
The women that need help in South Asia cannot be found in 5 star hotels
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Hari Nov 21, 2015 04:56am
Power to women leads to development of nation.
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Lumboobhai Nov 21, 2015 08:46am
Missed not seeing Malala.
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Tamza Nov 21, 2015 09:23am
What are they doing: "Feeling self-important" of course.
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open minded Nov 21, 2015 09:48am
Sherry Rahman is a corrupt politician who has supported corrupt a political party and it's government which resulted in corruption and support of terrorist groups like aman committee. Her party played a big role in the suffering of Pakistan, Sindh and bleeding of Karachi and she is a partner in this crime. She should never be allowed to represent Pakistan at any forum let alone highlighting her role as a defiant patriot. These people are anything but patriots they have done unrepairable harm to the country.
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Bis Nov 21, 2015 11:59am
@Zak - Actually this is the perfect country to host the conference. For that matter any country in South Asia would be perfect. Can you imagine why ? Don't just go by your prejudices ; think of the larger picture. Home to more than a billion people, home to at least 500 million women; only here you can get the focus to issues with women.
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kp Nov 21, 2015 05:28pm
@Bis I don't understand what you are saying. Why are numbers so important for this issue?
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Sabina Kazmi Nov 22, 2015 10:40pm
We Pakistanis are questioning why this Womens forum is held in India when our record on womens right are not stellar we tried to kill a young girl called Malala & when she spoke out we condemed her an agent of the West, when Sharmeen made her blockbuster documentary & won an Oscar award we tried to demean her even though acid throwing & honor killing still exists & women in rural areas are struggling trying to educate themselves as the rest of the country is missing in action but we have no problem trying to highlight the injustices of women in India?
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Azhar jamil Nov 23, 2015 07:58am
Empoweing women means empoweing humanity.Women like Sharmeen obaid and Madhuri dixit are deserving for their contribution,but what significance for Sherry Rahman in this context.I'm trying to understand.
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Harsha Subbaiah Nov 23, 2015 08:00am
@Zak then why are your people even coming and joining the forum? Dude get a life! It almost sounds like why should an anti human trafficking forum or a child abuse forum happen in Lahore when y'all th biggest culprit in the world! India ain't perfect, and y'all no where close! Chill out!
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