Women chambers team meets Baligh-ur-Rehman: Governor promises to help solve problems

LAHORE:A delegation of federation of Women Chamber of Commerce called on Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman at Governor’s House, here, Thursday. On this occasion, Fatiha was recited for the military officers who embraced martyrdom in the helicopter crash during flood relief activities in Balochistan.

The head of the delegation Rifat Malik apprised the governor of the problems faced by the women's chambers. The governor assured them of playing his role in solving the problems of women chambers. Speaking on the occasion, the governor said that it was impossible to achieve development goals without empowering women, that is why, the PMLN leadership has always provided equal opportunities to women to move forward. He said that PMLN had always encouraged women, the biggest example of which is the establishment of the first women's university, Fatima Jinnah Women's University, which was inaugurated by Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister at that time. The governor said that Pakistani women are not less than anyone in terms of abilities and are working side by side with men in every field of life. He said that he is happy to know that in this delegation, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan and Layyah women chambers are represented. He said the efforts of women chambers are commendable as a result of which lakhs of women are getting employment facilities.

Baligh-ur-Rehman said that the strength of the economy bolsters with the promotion of economic activities. He said that as Chancellor, it was his priority that consortiums should be formed in universities to solve various problems, including environment. He also emphasised that information technology should be promoted, which will strengthen the country's economy.

Meanwhile, Baligh-ur-Rehman said in his message on Kashmir Exploitation Day (Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir) that he salutes the sacrifices and long struggle of Kashmiris for their right to self-determination. He said that the Indian army had failed to suppress the spirit of freedom despite atrocities on Kashmiris. He said that the international community should end its silence and play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue.

MoU signed on gender studies programmes: Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) and Kinnaird College for Women, University of Jhang & GIFT University inked an MoU to provide a platform for the capacity building regarding establishment of new gender studies programmes.

The agreement was signed by LCWU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Bushra Mirza, Registrar University of Jhang Muzaffar Abbas, Kinnaird College for Women Principal Prof Dr Rukhsana David and Dean of Social Sciences Gift University, Gujranwala, Dr Asir Ajmal. LCWU’s Department of Gender and Development Studies would provide help to establish gender and development studies programme in partner universities under US-Pakistan Partnership Grants Programme (UPGP) funded by the United States Government and administered by United States Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) entitled, “GDS-LCWU’s Initiative of Capacity Building & Professional Development of Partner Universities”.

According to MoU, capacity building of Kinnaird College for Women, University of Jhang & GIFT University will be done by executing different activities, including trainings on gender concepts, curriculum development, leadership development & research methods. Moreover, training will be delivered by national and international trainers from George Washington University during the eight months of the project. The partner universities will be in position to start a programme of gender and development study as a major outcome of this project.

In addition, the Department of Gender & Development studies Lahore College for Women University will provide strategic direction and leadership of the project. This project is designed, prepared and won by Department of Gender & Development Studies, LCWU. Around 100 faculty members from partner universities will be direct beneficiaries and 2,500 faculty members and students from partner universities and LCWU will be getting benefit from this project. Prof Dr Bushra Mirza said the MoU would help to establish newly-emerging discipline in the field of feminist research among partner universities.