Digitalisation training: Korean agency plans to empower 17,000 women in KP and Punjab

SWABI: Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has planned to empower about 17,000 women/girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab province till 2028 under the project “Digitalization for Women Economic Empowerment”.

This was stated in a gathering when a delegation of KOICA and UN Women, Science and Technology and Information Technology Department (ST and IT) and Directorate of Science and Technology (DoST), KP, visited Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology here on Tuesday.

The delegation comprised Abira Farooq (Project Manager of Digitalization), Nadia Khan (Directorate of Science and Technology, KP), and Shahida Shah (Project Officer and Head of Women’s Economic Empowerment).

Eun Ah Su, international consultant and programme specialist, participated in the gathering through Zoom.The GIK Institute delegation was led by Sardar Aminullah Khan, Pro-Rector, Administration and Finance.

Abira Farooq said that KOICA’s project covers Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan in Punjab and Peshawar, Mardan, and Swabi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.The project aims to increase economic engagement of young women through digital enablement and innovation in Pakistan, adopting a two-tier approach: Increasing opportunities in the technology sector, through capacity building programmes and mentorships with experts and creating a conducive environment for young women to enter the technology sector - including IT enabled services, software development, and data analytics - through engagement with private sector and government stakeholders.

They exchanged views on how cooperation and collaboration could be enhanced to benefit from each other. “The project is in the initial stage,” said Abira Farooq.Sardar Aminullah Khan said that GIK Institute could help KOICA in the training programme, the academia is ready to play its due role, and the facilities like labs could be used for achieving desired results.The delegation also held talks with Prof Dr Sami Farooq, dean of the School of Management Sciences, about how GIK Institute could help KOICA in empowering women.