ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi underlined need for comprehensive awareness campaign with involvement of all relevant stakeholders to inform and educate female population of country regarding steps taken by government for empowerment of women and to urge them to fully utilise and profit from these initiatives. 

During a meeting with delegation of Women Business Network here President said that multiple products targeting women had been launched, which include opening bank accounts online without requiring women to visit bank branches and fulfilling cumbersome processes, Property Rights Act which have made it mandatory for giving inheritance to women. “Females are also being offered loans on easy terms and conditions”, he added. 

BISP and Ehsaas programmes were extremely effective and were playing pivotal role in maintaining data of women population, providing them with financial stipends, helping them to open bank accounts and creating a digital communication network to communicate with women of Pakistan through digital, SMS and other such services. There was a pressing need for taking more steps for empowering women both economically and financially and to encourage women to profit and benefit from laws, programmes and initiatives already in field of empowerment of women.

He expressed deep concerns that although banks have been offering preferred loans to women, however only 2 percent to 5 percent of loans were being availed. He called upon all women’s networks and other relevant organisations in private and government sector to take decisive action and roll out advocacy and awareness programmes to advise women to fully utilise these loans, which he said will play pivotal role in their empowerment.

He said that women parliamentarians, Chambers of Commerce, NGOs and advocacy groups should join hands to develop comprehensive strategy to reach out to women at grassroots level and equip them with information and education for their self-empowerment. He urged all advocacy groups, organisations and parents to ensure that all women graduates of professional colleges enter into economic mainstream and contribute their share in development of country.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 19 2022

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