Bilawal meets UN Women country representative

The Pakistan Peoples Party has taken several initiatives for women development and empowerment, and would continue to do so in the future as well, said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Speaking to Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative of UN Women in Pakistan, who called on the PPP chief, Bilawal said that the PPP had always taken steps for gender equality, according a statement issued on Tuesday.

Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was elected the first woman prime minister in any Muslim country. She inducted women judges and police officers and also launched the First Women Bank and separate police stations for women, among other steps, Bilawal told Kazi.

Bilawal said the PPP government, led by former president Asif Ali Zardari, started the Benazir Income Support Programme, a giant poverty-alleviation initiative, which has benefitted millions of women in the country.

The PPP chief also informed the UN Women representative about a union council-based poverty reduction programme by the Sindh government which has so far benefitted families of 600,000 women in selected UCs of some districts.

Kazi appreciated the legislation and steps taken by Sindh government for the welfare, empowerment and protection of women, the statement added.