KARACHI, April 26: Years of neglect regarding women education and health, at all levels, has an adverse impact on girl children, as 82 of every 1,000 of them die at quite early stages of their lives.

This was stated by Sindh Minister for Women Development and Population Welfare, Dr Saida Malik, speaking at a seminar organised here on Saturday at the Government Girls Primary and Secondary School, Chanesar Goth.

She said that provision of better health care and education facilities to people was among government’s priorities, specially, the women education and literacy, which at present was no more than 29 per cent against 59 per cent literacy rate among the male population of the country.

Activist and researcher, Nargis Rehman, said women had an important role in national progress, for which they needed to be adequately skilled.

She dispelled the impression that women were lesser in status or they did not hold equal rights and responsibilities in an Islamic society.

Dr Saida Malik, on the occasion, donated Rs25,000 for the school.

She said that senior lawyer, advocate Zeb, would provide free legal counselling to the women of the area, students and teachers of the school in the goth, while in case of any human rights violation in the area, the minister said that Ms Saida Roohi’s help could be sought.

The minister, later, distributed prizes and awards among the position holders of the school.

Dr Salima R Ahmed, the President, Educational Society of the Pakistan Federation of Business and Professional Women Organization, also spoke at the seminar.—APP