Women’s day: Chief minister announces empowerment package

‘Representation of women in all sectors is important for the Women Empowerment Package 2014 to be effective’.

LAHORE:

“The government has established a commission on the status of women in the Punjab. Rights activist Fauzia Viqar has been appointed its first chairperson,” said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday.

He was addressing a Women’s Day event arranged by the Women Development Department at Aiwan-i-Iqbal.

Sharif said Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929, Family Court Act 1964, Dowry and Bridal Gifts Act 1976, and the Punjab Revenue Act 1968 would all be amended.

He said women’s representation in all sectors was important for the Women Empowerment Package 2014 to be effective.

The chief minister also announced regularisation of lady health workers. He said the government would introduce a comprehensive policy regarding domestic workers.

The chief minister said the Turkish society had progressed because women were encouraged to work alongside men.

He said Turkey had achieved a commendable level of gender equality due to which it had become the 17th largest economy in the world.

He said girl children were being given scholarships through the Punjab Education Endowment Fund. He said 60 per cent of the laptops distributed in the Punjab had gone to girls. He said 200,000 laptops would be distributed this year.

“The government spends millions on medical students. It is unfortunate that after obtaining medical degrees, a lot of women get married and quit practicing,” the chief minister said. “I urge female doctors to remain committed to their profession and not deprive the nation of capable medical practioners,” he said.

The chief minister was accompanied by Saira Afzal Tarar, Minister of State for National Health Services Anusha Rehman, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Hameeda Waheedudin, the minister for women development and Minister for Population Welfare Zakia Shahnawaz.

Singer Saira Raza Khan was given the title of Ambassador of the Youth of Pakistan.

Sirajuddin Dramatic Society of Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) staged a play at the event and Warda Ifitkhar, of Girls Guide Pakistan and Ambreen Nasir, of GCU sang ghazals.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2014.