KARACHI, April 18: Advisor to Prime Minister on women development, Nilofer Bakhtiar, said here on Friday that the women development department had been seeking private sector partnership, specially of NGOs, for alleviation of poverty and elimination of child labour.

“More and more income-generating and micro-credit schemes will be initiated for the welfare of women,” she said during her visit to the Behbud Association complex in Clifton.

She said the NGOs should impart training to women in education and health sectors, and they should come forward and help the government in improving various projects.

Referring to her meeting with the president of the First Women Bank, she said she had asked the FWB to pay attention to the uplift of women, particularly those living in the rural areas.

Nilofer was of the view that the FWB should extend micro- credit facility to women living in rural areas as those living in the cities had already been availing of such facilities.

She said she had also requested the FWB to introduce income- generating schemes, including vocational projects, for rural women so that they could become economically self-sufficient.

She said that her main emphasis was on improving the economic condition of women so as to alleviate poverty.

She lauded the projects of the Behbud Association, including skill and vocational training, educational, basic and reproductive health, computer literacy and leather training programmes which she said would help curb poverty and impart education to women.

The advisor said it was the need of the hour to organize and empower women communities and develop leadership through their participation.

She said that education and setting up of quality educational and literacy programmes and income-generating opportunities through promotion of vocational training were necessary for women.

Nilofer said the government would provide assistance to those NGOs, working really for the promotion, development and upliftment of the women.

Earlier, she took a round of various ongoing projects, including a school running under the Behbud Association.

Behbood Association president Bushra informed the advisor about various projects.

Bushra Pervaiz urged the Women Development Department to waive the property taxes levied at its building as she said that “we are running a non-profitable organization and is being paid a huge amount”.

She also demanded assistance for the construction of an additional floor for introduction of more training programmes.

Bushra also demanded immediate provision of tap water, as she said that water requirement is met through tankers.

She said that despite financial constraints, the Behbood Association had introduced electrician training course for boys while leather course for boys is already running successfully.—APP