Women empowerment policies implementation stressed

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a workshop have stressed the need for implementation of policies for women empowerment and protection of their rights.

The Social Welfare Department had organized the workshop “Women Empowerment Policy implementation” in Peshawar here on Tuesday. KP Ombudsperson for Protection of Women against Harassment at Workplaces, Rukhshanda Naz, Members Provincial Assembly Aisha Bano, Sajida Haneef, Zeenat Bibi and officials from various government departments attended the workshop. Social Welfare Department Gender Specialist Sayeda Nudrat said after assessment of the study in various government departments, it is time to review and reset the timeline for implementation of the policy. She said all the focal persons from various departments have been notified to implement the policy.

Rukhshanda Naz said the policy is designed to empower women and to provide them with their due rights given by the Constitution. She added that the implementation of the policy would ensure women's active participation in institutions and the purpose of the workshop was to remove the grey areas from the policy to provide a safe and healthier workplace environment to women. The participants were told that awareness campaigns on women's rights would be arranged at different levels, and would include a chapter on women protection against violence in textbooks. Similarly, measures would be taken to provide women and girls with opportunities to entertainment, sports and travel facilities. Awareness-raising campaigns on the roles and rights of women would be arranged for positive societal change on various platforms, while political parties would be asked to provide at least five percent of seats to women in the election. Social Welfare Department Secretary Muhammad Idrees said that the policy would provide economic, social, political and legal rights to women. Under the implementation of the policy, he said, the department was establishing Darul Aman at Chitral and Bannu. Similarly, the PC1 has been completed for establishment of Zamong Kor for female children in Peshawar. The official added that Women's Facilitation Centers would be established in the newly merged districts.