February 19, 2006	Sunday	Muharram 20, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: The National Steering Committee on Women’s Employment has approved a plan to promote decent employment opportunities for women in the country.

The plan envisages a package for sensitization and capacity building of policy makers, research on women employment concerns, a policy on sexual harassment at workplace, policy-review and legislation for equal employment opportunities, engendering of a labour market information system, studying regional best practices for women employment, establishment of a national creche fund, formation of a task force on women mobility issues and mainstreaming women concerns in all technical and vocational training opportunities.

Besides, direct assistance would be provided to vulnerable groups of women through training in skills, entrepreneurship and international labour standards. Specific measures would also be taken to bring women in the leadership positions in the workers and employers federations.

The committee held its maiden meeting on Saturday with federal secretary labour and manpower Malik Asif Hayat in the chair.

The “Women Employment Concerns and Working Conditions” project is being jointly launched by International Labour Organization (ILO) and the ministry of labour and manpower. Financial support for the 36-month project has been provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The project has a two-pronged approach: creation of a supportive environment through institutional strengthening of relevant ministries and other social partners, and provision of direct assistance to women to secure decent employment.

The project has devised four interrelated components: capacity enhancement of the ministry of labour and the ministry of women development to promote decent employment and women workers rights; provision of direct assistance to both women and key social actors in order to improve the quantity and quality of employment for women with the view to promoting their empowerment whilst improving the welfare of the families; promotion of gender equality in private sector employment through raising awareness of employers; and promotion of women’s participation and leadership in trade unions.

For each of these components, separate action plans are being developed and would be implemented according to the situation.

A portion of this project has also been redirected to the earthquake-affected areas so as to cater for the employment needs of those households who have lost their male bread-earners in the calamity.

The project would design special activities for bringing such women in the economic mainstream.