Gender focus: Punjab to spend Rs14.2b on women

"The government was endeavoring to ensure women’s rights with the cooperation of UNDP," says Arif Anwar Baloch.

LAHORE: The pronincial government will spend over Rs14.2 billion on welfare projects for women in the current fiscal year. Planning and Development Department Secretary Arif Anwar Baloch announced this while addressing a workshop on Gender Responsive Budgeting. He said the government was endeavoring to ensure women’s rights with the cooperation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). No society could progress without making women strong economically, the Planning and Development Department secretary said. Arif Anwar Baloch  said a Women Development Fund had been established by the Punjab government at a cost of Rs500 million and Daycare Centres set up at a cost of Rs 100 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2012.