Women’s Day 8 March 2025: Message from Fatema Munir Ahmad Managing Director/CEO Hamdard Pakistan

International Women’s Day, March 8, is a powerful reminder of the courageous women who have faced adversity with resilience and determination. Despite challenges, they have continued their struggle to highlight the vital role of women in social welfare and economic progress. Their perseverance has paved the way for a more inclusive and equitable society.

Today, we should honour these inspiring women with heartfelt gratitude, recognizing their invaluable contributions. Let this day serve as a call to action for all of us to support and uplift women, ensuring a future where they thrive in every aspect of life.

At Hamdard Group, we take immense pride in the strength, creativity, and leadership of the women in our workforce. The contributions of our women leaders are transforming business models and operational management, ensuring smooth transitions, and cultivating a corporate environment that nurtures new ideas. Their dedication and achievements are truly commendable. Through their efforts, they continue to shape Hamdard’s corporate values, instil a culture of reform, and enhance operational efficiency. Their leadership strengthens Hamdard’s position as a pioneer in the herbal industry, ensuring its continued success and reaffirming its standing as the market leader for the future.

For Hamdard Pakistan, true women’s empowerment is unattainable without dedicated efforts toward women’s economic independence. This principle lies at the core of Hamdard’s values, as from its early days, Rabia Begum, the mother of Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said, alongside his eldest sister, Hameedi Begum, took charge of the organization, setting a precedent for strong female leadership.

After the tragic martyrdom of Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said, his daughter Sadia Rashid assumed leadership, ensuring Hamdard’s continued growth.

Under the supervision and guidance of Ms Sadia Rashid, Hamdard Pakistan has flourished both as a leading herbal products’ manufacturer and reputed welfare institution of the country, providing more than 450 women employees equal opportunities for growth and advancement based on merit, representing the country on a global scale, dedicated to the progress and development of Pakistan and its people.

Despite numerous bills, constitutional regulations supporting women’s rights, and a gradual shift toward more favourable social attitudes, the journey toward true women’s empowerment remains long. Meaningful progress can only be attained if the corporate sector takes concentrated initiatives to promote women’s empowerment. As I pointed out before, women’s empowerment is fundamentally tied to their financial independence.

This is only achievable with a well-structured framework that should provide comprehensive financial stability opportunities for women. I take great pride in stating that Hamdard Pakistan serves as a model for the corporate sector that seamlessly integrates corporate operations with social welfare initiatives. Through this unique approach, we continue our commitment to women’s empowerment nationwide.

Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, the charitable wing of Hamdard Pakistan, has recently introduced several professional courses aimed at empowering women. These courses provide free training and ensure respectable employment opportunities upon completion. All relevant details are available on our website.

I firmly believe that this year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” aligns perfectly with Hamdard’s core mission, which it has upheld for the past 75 years. May Allah protect and always guide Pakistan and enable Hamdard to remain steadfast in its noble mission of service and progress. Ameen!

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025