PESHAWAR, May 26: The NWFP government has chalked out a comprehensive programme for socio-economic development of women and a cell comprising gender specialists and researchers is working on a plan to establish a department of women development.

This was stated by director of Social Welfare and Women Development Dr Fakhrul Islam while speaking at a coordination meeting on NGOs arranged by the provincial chapter of the National Plan of Action for women in collaboration with the department here on Thursday.

The main objective of the meeting was to establish close liaison between the NWFP government and the NGOs working in the province. Dr Islam said that the department had launched several projects for social uplift of women, including free legal aid centre, women crisis centre and skill optimization programme for self-employed women.

MNA Razia Aziz and MPA Naeema Akhtar informed the participants about the progress so for made in legislation for betterment of women at national and provincial levels.

Representatives of several NGOs participated and suggested an orientation workshop for NGOs to enable them to make recommendations for inclusion in the plan to make it more fruitful.