Consultation on gender mainstreaming

LAHORE: An introductory session of DFID-funded Sub-National Governance (SNG) Programme was held with key stakeholders on gender mainstreaming and inclusion for its Innovation Challenge Fund and Action Research here at the Chief Minister Secretariat.

Uzma Kardar, Chairperson Gender Mainstreaming Standing Committee of Punjab Assembly, chaired the session along with Sarah Aslam, Secretary Labour Punjab, Omar Mukhtar, DFID governance adviser, and Usman Chaudhry, PTL SNG. Members of Punjab Assembly, representatives from private sector, tech entrepreneurs, government departments and development partners also attended the session.

In her welcome note, Uzma Kardar said the Punjab government had shown immense commitment to gender mainstreaming and with the support of development partners like DFID the agenda could be achieved. She welcomed innovative ideas for inclusion through the SNG Innovation Challenge Fund. Usman Khan, Lead SNG Innovation said that the programme through a very transparent process of application, selection and grant management would offer grants to successful applicants for piloting their projects which the government can later scale up for higher impact.

Uzma Kardar opined that with the academia, private sector, development and government coming together and working on innovation for transparency, accountability and inclusion fits well into the agenda of the PTI government and will empower women socially, economically and politically.