Awareness programme held on gender equality, women empowerment

Islamabad: Margalla College F-7/4 hosted an enlightening awareness program on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, organized by the International Governance and Sustainability Institute (IG-SI) here on Wednesday. The event saw enthusiastic participation from numerous young female students, demonstrating keen interest and engagement with the critical subject matter.

Dr. Sultan Azam Temuri, the Founding Director and CEO of IG-SI, delivered an insightful address. He highlighted that women constitute 49.6 per cent of Pakistan's population, yet the country ranks 142nd out of 146 in the Global Gender Gap Index 2023 by the World Economic Forum. This discrepancy underscores significant challenges, particularly the lack of quality education and skill development among the youth, who make up 64 per cent of the population, known as the Youth Bulge.

Dr. Temuri emphasized Pakistan's commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, affirmed by a unanimous National Assembly Resolution in 2016. He urged a concentrated effort on Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG-5), which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. He stressed the importance of bridging the gender gap through enhanced education and increased economic participation.

In his discourse, Dr. Temuri shared both national and international examples to elucidate effective strategies for gender equality. Notably, he discussed the Gender Strategy of Police, which he has successfully implemented on both national and international levels.

Key components of this strategy included: Increased Female Representation in police, capacity building, conducive Living and Working Environment, Ensuring supportive and safe environments for women in the police force, Female Networ­king: Facilitating networks for women within the police to foster support and growth. The program underscored the urgent need to address gender disparities in Pakistan and highlighted the critical role of education and empowerment in achieving a more equitable society.

Helena Iqbal Saeed, former UN Police Commissioner and Inspector General of Police, shared her experiences and advised the young students to focus on their studies and maintain simplicity. She emphasized the importance of education and skill development.

Esin Gulsen, former Turkish Police officer and UN Peacekeeper, gave a virtual message to the students. She inspired students by her own life story. She explained that by empowering women, Pakistan can be empowered. Ms. Ayesha Kiani, Principal of Margalla College F-7/4, thanked the guest speakers and concluded the programme.