The United States is very interested in empowering the women of Pakistan and bringing them into the mainstream of development through their contributions to the economy.
This was stated by Dr Marilyn Wyatt, the wife of US Ambassador Cameron Munter, while inaugurating an Information Technology (IT) training session for 20 female employees working in the engineering, customer service, commercial and revenue departments of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco).
The IT training is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) and is in line with the US’s commitment to energy reform.
The training program has been launched for more than 1,100 employees from eight electric power distribution companies (Discos), with a focus on female staff. More than 450 employees of Discos have already received IT training, while another 700 employees will be trained by mid-November.
The Usaid Power Distribution Improvement Programme is a three-year effort aimed at strengthening government-owned Discos. The Programme aims to reduce line-losses, increasing revenues and improving customer services.
“The United States government believes that improving Pakistani expertise in energy distribution will lead to a more stable and economically vibrant Pakistan,” said Dr Wyatt. She said IT training, particularly for female employees, will help bring long-lasting and sustainable improvements in the delivery of energy. “Of course, in today’s world all workers, not only women, need top-notch IT skills. Our global economy demands it, and a country the size of Pakistan needs it,” she added.
Dr Wyatt said that Usaid is already making efforts on many fronts to help strengthen Pakistan’s power sector, which include the upgrading of dams and power stations to improve generation and transmission capacity, the replacement of old pumps used by Pakistan’s farmers with new and more efficient models to reduce peak energy demand, and the institutional strengthening of key players, especially Pakistan’s nine Discos.
She said that Usaid’s major step towards the mutual goal of a strong, world-class power sector in Pakistan is empowering the women who work for the power distribution companies.
She added that this last effort is being realised through Usaid’s power distribution improvement program (PDIP). Usaid and PDIP aim to help the ministry of water and power and Discos to achieve the operating standards and performance benchmarks of the world’s best utility companies.
PDIP’s activities include the audit of Discos, development of performance improvement action plans for each Disco, while also offering regular training to Disco employees.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2011.
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