KARACHI, May 27: Sindh Women Development Minister Dr Saeeda Malik has said that backwardness among women, particularly those in rural areas, needs special attention, as they were denied education.

She was speaking as chief guest at the inauguration of the Family Health Mela-2004, organized in Grex Village by the Lyari Community Development Project, in connection with its golden jubilee.

Dr Saeeda said that she felt honoured while participating in the programmes, organized for the welfare of the women, who were facing economic hardships. She noted that objective of such events was to create awareness among the people, particularly women, regarding the issues related to their health and education.

Dr Saeeda pointed out that the Lyari Community Development Project was established in 1954 with the UN cooperation, under the patronage of the federal government, with the objective of promoting local leadership and to solve local problems on self-help basis.

This organization, she said, had not only paid attention to universalization of education among women and to the health of their children, but also played an important role in removing their backwardness, and pointed out that it was also engaged in women uplift work outside Lyari.

She also referred to the establishment of a Family Health Centre in the area, where, she said, not only information about reproductive health but also facilities for medical advice and treatment had also been provided to the women.

She emphasised that the government and non-government organizations could work together and remove poverty, illiteracy and backwardness from the country. Later the minister went round the stalls setup on the occasion and saw a tableau presented by children. She announced an amount of Rs30,000 for the children. -APP