PM committed to empowering women of Sindh

The PM wants to bring a change in the living standards of women, particularly rural women, says Marvi Memon

SUKKUR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is committed to bring a change in the living standards of women, particularly rural women, and the allocation of Rs102 billion for five million families registered under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was aimed to achieve this objective, said Marvi Memon, the minister of state and BISP chairperson on Saturday.

Addressing an event organised by the Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO), Memon said that she was happy to be among the women belonging to Shikarpur, Jaccobabad, Kashmore-Kandhkot and other villages of Sindh. Memon talked about the purpose of her visit to rural Sindh, which was to gain first-hand knowledge about the problems faced by people here, so that she can take steps to solve them.

Memon, who is also a member of the National Assembly, said that the facilities being extended to BISP beneficiaries, other than the quarterly financial support, will be further improved. She added that steps were being taken to eliminate the role of middle men or agents who try to fleece the BISP beneficiaries, adding that she had also received complaints against banks by the beneficiaries. "The role of such elements will be eliminated at all cost to fulfill the PM's vision of women empowerment," Memon said.



She said that spending Eidul Azha with women from rural Sindh was to express solidarity with them and to show that the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz government stands by them and is committed to solve their problems. Memon appreciated the work of the SRSO to eliminate poverty in northern Sindh and issued orders to the officials to solve the problems of the beneficiaries.

During her visit, Memon also toured the SRSO complex and a show room, where exquisite handicrafts made by women, including home textiles, basketry, jewellery, dresses, dupattas and shawls with traditional embroidery and cutwork, were on display.

Talking about women empowerment, SRSO chief executive officer Muhammad Dital Kalhoro said that his organisation was providing loans to the poor through the Community Investment Fund (CIF). The women collectively manage the fund by distributing loans for investment in income-generating activities, he added. "This has built the confidence and capabilities of the poor rural women, whose concerns are often brushed aside by male tribal elders," he said.

Kalhoro further said that SRSO was also helping poor rural communities through the capacity building of organisations in the village and community organisations, under the banner of Local Support Organisation at union council level.

The BISP director, Zulfiqar Abro, Jamal Shoro, Dr Gulam Rasool Samejo, Nisar Pathan, Niaz Hingoro, representatives from various banks and hundreds of women were present at the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2015.