Efforts under way for empowerment of women: minister

Punjab Minister for Women Development Department Hameeda Waheed Uddin said that government has taken a number of solid steps for women empowerment with a view to bring them into the national mainstream. She said this while speaking at the inauguration of Daycare Center at Regional Training Institute Township, here on Tuesday. Secretary Women Development Bushra Aman, Director General Population Welfare Naeem Rathore, Dr Asma and others were also present on this occasion.0
Hameeda said that with a view to facilitating working women, daycare centers are being set up across the province under a phased programme. She said that Punjab Daycare Fund Society has been established for the management of these daycare centers.
She said that performance of daycare centers, training of the staff and available facilities are also being monitored. She said that as many as 88 daycare centers have so far been established across the province while more such centers will be set up during the current and next fiscal year. Earlier, Hameeda Waheed inaugurated the daycare center. She visited the playroom, nursery and kitchen of the daycare center and appreciated the standard of available facilities.
Later, the Provincial Minister distributed certificates among 350 female domestic workers who completed their training with the technical assistance of WDD at Punjab Vocational Training Council. Secretary WDD Bushra Aman and MD PVTC Sajid Naseer Khan highlighted the objectives of the training in detail and said that the Punjab government is striving hard for economic uplift and well being of women folk in the province under women empowerment packages.
Hameeda while speaking to female domestic workers has said that Pakistan cannot make commendable progress without due participation of women in the development process. "Pakistani women are very talented and they have proved their abilities in different sectors", added the minister.
She said that jobs quota in government sector for women had been increased from 5 to 15 percent. She said that working women hostels are also being set up in various districts for the benefit of working women. She said that the government has ensured socio-economic development of women by taking further steps for protection of their rights under women packages. She appreciated the standard and active participation of the female domestic workers and hoped that after getting training they would be able to get better job facilities.