Seminar on ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’ concludes

Islamabad:The International Women's Day seminar titled ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’ successfully concluded at a hotel, here, marking a significant milestone in the journey toward gender equality and empowerment.

This seminal event, designed to echo this year's theme, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including donors, activists, and community members, to underscore the importance of investing in women as a catalyst for sustainable development and societal transformation.

The seminar started with a panel discussion on ‘Investing in Women - Donor’s Perspective,’ featuring insights from representatives of international organisations such as USAID, UKaid, EU, the World Bank, and AusAID. This session shed light on the transformative impact of directing resources towards women's empowerment initiatives and the shared commitment to fostering gender equality.

A highlight of the event was the session on ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress - Amplifying Women’s Voices,’ which showcased the inspiring journeys of women farmers from across Pakistan. Their stories, accompanied by compelling video presentations, served as a testament to the resilience and contributions of women in enhancing livelihoods and challenging gender norms.

“In today's event, the primary goal is to work towards gender equality. Until we invest in women, true development remains unattainable in Pakistan. Empowering women is not just a choice but a prerequisite for progress and prosperity,” said Mohsin Hafeez, director Water, Food & Ecosystems, Country Representative, IWMI.

The interactive theatre session titled ‘Play your Part’ provided an innovative platform for participants to engage with the theme of women's empowerment, encouraging them to envision and enact scenarios that promote gender equality.

Engr. Ahmad Kamal, chairman, Federal Flood Commission, Ministry of Water Resources, while emphasising the significance of women, drew upon the example of Islam and reminded the audience of the words of our Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) about the importance of women. He reiterated on following teachings of our religion about the rights and importance of women in everyday matters for progress at all levels.

In a comprehensive panel discussion on this crucial topic, diverse perspectives were shared by a distinguished panel comprising Bilal Anwar, chief executive officer of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund, Naghma e Tehniat Jerral, an economic adviser from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, and Muhammad Nawaz, a Development Specialist representing USAID/Pakistan. Adding a valuable dimension to the conversation, female farmers from District Okara, District DI Khan, and Tank, Bahawalpur also contributed their insights.

The event not only celebrated the achievements of women but also reiterated the commitment of IWMI and its partners to invest in women as a key strategy to accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals. The seminar served as a call to action for all stakeholders to recognise the invaluable contributions of women and to double down on efforts to dismantle barriers to their full participation in all spheres of life.