'Women can play major role in economic development'

Good Will Ambassador for Women Empowerment Fiza Gilani said that women could play major role in economic development of the country. In an exclusive interview with PTV on Friday, she said, "Agriculture is backbone of our economy and more female workers are associated to this profession as compare to male.
"They are performing leading role in cotton picking and looking after cattle in the rural areas, she added. Besides education sector the women also contribute in other sectors." She said that Peoples Party had been taking practical steps for the empowerment of women while the other parties were doing only lip service for the major segment of the society.
Fizza said that she was striving for empowerment of women after 18th amendment and she wanted resolution of women problems in a better way. She said women issues were not restricted to the provincial governments only and the federal government was also taking up their issue and she was tracing out those areas to the government for taking practical measures.
"Shaheed Benazir Bhutto herself was an icon who enhanced the image of Pakistani women among the comity of the nations," she added. She added that PPP government was striving for empowerment of the women of all sectors including entrepreneurs and social activists of the country.
To a question, she said that imprisoned women needed more attention for improvement in their lives, style and better hygienic and health facilities. "We should accommodate them as much as we can after their coming out of jails so they can live a better life and contribute as useful citizens."
She said there were many NGOs working for women such as Aurat Foundation, Shirkat Gah and they were doing really well. However, there was dire need for making concerted efforts by the government and private sector to address women issues, he added. She said that implementation of all the bills passed by the parliament for well beings of women would be carried out but it would take some time to change the mindset of people.