The dialogue is part of the bilateral strategic dialogue initiated in March by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The dialogue seeks to identify a common agenda and activities for both countries to affirm their interest in empowering women and advancing women’s rights. It was jointly chaired by Ambassador-at-Large for global women’s issues Melane Verveer and special assistant to the prime minister Shahnaz Wazir Ali.
The Pakistani government’s delegation presented the overall programme for women’s empowerment and the discussion encompassed a range of issues including exploring greater economic and political opportunities for women, addressing violence against women, provincial variations in the challenges and accomplishments for women, and gender sensitisation of key judicial and law enforcement agencies.
Initiatives discussed as potential next steps included developing a training programme for women local leaders at union council levels to help support capacity building and leadership training. To improve the lives of women and young girls, technology could play a role and thus programmes must be created that seek greater economic opportunities for women’s technical training, entrepreneurial development, microfinance, access to domestic and international markets, and to capital. Institutional measures for relief and rehabilitation of women victims of violence and displacement were also discussed.
This is the eighth such meeting between American and Pakistani delegations. Earlier this month, working group were held on topics including defence, energy, water for agriculture, economics and finance, market access, and science and technology.
Ambassador Verveer and Ali, along with the delegation members, also visited the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women Crisis Centre in Islamabad and pledged to provide Rs2 million in support of the center’s most critical needs.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2010.
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