KARACHI, July 21: The provincial Minister for Women Development, Dr Saeeda Malik, who is also chairperson of provincial steering committee of Gender Reforms Programme (GRP), has said that her department has been taking concrete measures for the welfare of Sindh’s women folk which makes about 14.342 million of its total population of 30.44 million.

She was speaking at a meeting of the committee here on Monday. The meeting was held to discuss suggestions and proposals put forward by the members with regard to the GRP in order to finalize the programme for its approval by the provincial cabinet.

It was suggested that there should be a wider media role in creating awareness on women rights and that participation of different segments of society in women development be ensured.

Among other recommendations made by the meeting were an increased participation of women ministers, MNAs, MPAs and councillors under GRP; a raise in the quota for women in assemblies to make it up to 33 per cent; an increase in women representation in parliamentary committees to 20 per cent,

It was also proposed that presence of 20 per cent women members be made mandatory to complete the quorum in assemblies and either the speaker or deputy speaker should be a woman. The meeting called for 20 per cent share in ministries for women.

Participants of the meeting were of the view that women councillors should also be provided development funds for their union councils.

Ms Malik said that 66 per cent women of Sindh were associated with agriculture sector. She stressed the need for a positive change in the behaviour of male population with women in rural areas.

She pointed out that the women councillors’ training programme was in its third phase which had built up confidence and created awareness in the councillors.

The minister urged women to form a single platform for women’s cause and work together irrespective of their political affiliation.

Members of the steering committee who attended the meeting were Bilqis Mukhtar, Fareeda Baloch, Naila Inam, Kulsoom Nizamani, Shamim Kazmi, Dr Khawar Mehdi, Seemi Kamal, Dr D. S. Akram, Asmat Shahjahan, T. A. Jamani, Qurban Ali Memon, Fazal Nazamani, Syed Ali Akbar Shah, Mohammad Suhail Rajput and Khalid Akbar. —PPI