KARACHI: Law soon to ensure conducive atmosphere for working women
KARACHI, July 27: A gender justice code of ethics aimed to ensure a congenial environment for the working women in public and private sectors is to be implemented in the country from August 15.
Federal minister for women development and social welfare Dr Attiya Inayatullah, addressing a meeting at the First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) on Saturday, said a draft had been worked out and was soon to be presented to the federal cabinet for approval.
In response to suggestions and queries made by the representatives of NGOs and women entrepreneurs, the minister said although an ordinance based on the ILO recommendations did exist in the country but this could not be actually realized in Pakistan like in most other countries.
“The ministry of women development has worked out a fresh draft on the pattern of the code of conduct functional in Australia,” she elaborated, mentioning that the ministry has already completed consultation process with the concerned stakeholders and the draft was about to be put before the cabinet.
According to her, the draft is currently undergoing necessary analyses and deliberations on part of concerned government departments.
Dr Attiya, terming the present decade to be the decade of women, cited resilience among Pakistani woman at all levels, enabling them to boldly face all sorts of challenges.
The minister said opportunities are being particularly offered to women through the platform of FWBL, while the Khushhali Bank, basically meant to cater to the poor population, also holds no restriction on women to procure micro-credits.
She referred to a shelter scheme project initiated by the ministry for women development in collaboration with the FWBL, under which funds would be disbursed for upgradation of the regularised kutchi abadis.
Community-based organisation (CBOs) would be involved in the scheme, the minister said, mentioning that a module for the project was being envisaged.
A senior banker of international repute, Smith David, cautioned the FWBL to be very focused and not to be indulged in divergence which might expose it to difficult situations.
“Micro-financing is a positive mean of sustaining and supporting projects which hold high risk for losses if inadequately managed,” the banker warned.
FWBL president Zarine Aziz said the Bank is a specialized financial institution, run and managed by women to augment their economic status by offering traditional and non-traditional services.
She regretted that despite acquiring international recognition, the FWBL’s performance was yet to be duly acknowledged by people in the country.
The FWBL chief particularly referred to its recognition as a leader in innovative micro-finance banking products and services by women world banking in 2001. Ms Aziz said the bank had faced critical circumstances, putting its survival at stake, particularly due to Forex loss in 1996.
According to her, it was due to a three-pronged strategy on part of the bank’s new management that attempts to get the FWBL privatized was countered and it was put back on track, setting fresh precedence in terms of profitability.
Prof Anita Ghulam Ali, Farida Shaheed of Shirkatgah, Mumtaz Rashidi, Masooda Ahmed, Yasmeen Dastoor and others were also present.
Dure Shahwar Rizvi, a stakeholder who runs a franchise post office in the city, narrated her experience and achievements. —APP
