Gender mainstreaming: PPAF, Punjab govt to promote women empowerment

Sign partnership to increase cooperation to promote women literacy at grassroots.

The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has signed an agreement with the women development department (WDD) and literacy and non-formal basic education department of the Punjab government to promote women empowerment.

PPAF CEO Qazi Azmat Isa and Punjab Women Development Department Secretary Irum Bukhari and Punjab Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Secretary Dr Pervez Ahmed Khan signed the agreement on Wednesday, according to a press release.

Under the agreement, PPAF will collaborate in piloting policy-grassroots linkages through supporting networks of women and youth organisations to interact more closely with WDD, literacy department and other government entities.

The fund will document lessons and share data on areas such as social mobilisation, gender mainstreaming, development of networks and awareness campaigns to better implement provincial laws and policies pertaining to gender equality.

PPAF will engage young volunteers and other members of the community from selected districts of Punjab to contact women and youth at the grassroots level to promote literacy among women groups.

Literacy modules, especially designed to cater to the needs of women groups, will be provided by the literacy department to raise awareness on gender-based violence and other related fields.

WDD is mandated to promote, coordinate and monitor execution of the Punjab Women Empowerment Package for safeguarding women rights and expanding economic opportunities.

The literacy department’s mandate is to formulate policies and projects for access to quality and non-formal education for the out-of-school population and promote women empowerment.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2014.