FAISALABAD City News

‘Women empowerment prerequisite

for sustainable development’

From Our Correspondent

FAISALABAD: Speakers at a seminar have expressed grave concern that Pakistan stands at the bottom of gender-related development index and ranks at 120 out of 146 countries across the globe.

The seminar on gender sensitisation and women empowerment in agriculture sector was arranged by the UAF’s Department of Rural Sociology and Institute of Home Economics here on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, MNA Ghulam Bibi Bharwana called for educating the rural women to empower them. She said that the rural women were playing a pivotal role in the development of agriculture but their role remained unrecognised. She said that the women empowerment was prerequisite to achieve sustainable development and prosperity.

Aurat Foundation Capacity Building Director Mahpara said that her foundation was taking all tangible steps to reduce the gender gap in Pakistan by proactively supporting development and empowerment of women. She said that the UAF step regarding promotion of culture of cycling among the female students would have a long lasting impact.

Dr Mahrukh Saeed Khan from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, said that soft loan scheme needed to be kicked off for the woman farmers to make them economical empowered. She called for equipping the women with vocational trainings and farming techniques.

Dean Social Sciences Dr Iqbal Zafar said that half of the population consisted of women. He said that the university was making all tangible steps to provide modern facilities to the women.

ORIC Director Dr Asif Ali said that the women empowerment would also help in the poverty alleviation from the society.

Dr Ashfaq Mann said that in the modern world, the women were standing with shoulder to shoulder to the men in socio-economic activities. He urged the women to prove their mettle in every sphere of life. Dr Izhar A Khan, Institute of Rural Home Economics Chairperson Dr Naheed Abbas, Dr Babar Shahbaz, farmers Abeera Tariq and Manzoor Thakur also spoke on the occasion.