The objective of the meeting was to strengthen the kite making sector for creating their visibility and sensitising the policy makers for legislation and raise their voices. The meeting was attended by Mehnaz Rafi Social Activist, Irfan Mufti Director SAP Pakistan, Khalid Zafar Advocate High Court, Khalid Malik educationist, Nadeem Wyne President Kite Flyers Association, and kite makers from Lahore and Jhang.
The speakers suggested that there is a need to equip the women workers with alternative skills so that they can earn their livelihood. The civil society members passed a resolution that government should do some legislation in favour of kite makers' women workers.
Naseem Bano from Lahore said that ban in kite making has affected their household very badly. They are unable to provide one time meal to their children. "This is the only skill that we know," she said. "We want government to look the matter seriously and help us to earn in livelihood," said Salma bibi from Jhang.
"Government should provide alternative work for us like packing material because we do not have other skills". Ume Laila Azhar Executive Director Home Net Pakistan suggested that government should include kite-flying as a sport event in youth festival and link it with youth festival at district level. This will regain the spirit and will earn monetary benefits for the women home based workers involved in the kite making. She highlighted that the women home based workers need to be linked with existing social welfare schemes so that their children and youth could get better vocational trainings for better and decent livelihood. By providing better opportunities to the sector of the deprived trade would earn better revenue.
She also stressed the need of creating linkages of the kite makers with export industries so that they are directly benefited. Irfan Mufti Director South Asia Partnership said that these workers need to organise themselves in a group, an organisation or union to get their demands addressed. He further said that government should acknowledge this as a major contributor industry and potential for export.