QUETTA: Ministers, legislators and civil society representatives have said that making women economically stable and giving them equal share in the decision making process is essential for Pakistan’s development, adding that the role of the parliament is of utmost importance to this effect.

They agreed that authorities concerned should move away from other matters and focus on this issue.

Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Zahoor Buledi, chairperson of Women Parliamentary Caucus and parliamentary secretary for health Dr Rubaba Khan Buledi, parliamentary secretary for women development Mahjabeen Sheeran, executive director of Shirkat Gah Farida Shahid and others addressed a function organised here on Saturday night on the topic of protection of rights of women and girls.

Minister says 14,000 jobs to be created for women in Balochistan

“There is a need to implement bills on women’s rights, including marriages, in which women MPAs will play a key role. We are not backward but we lack resources. We can do whatever we want to do. We need to focus on systematic planning, better management and delivery of services,” Ms Sheeran said at the event held under the auspices of Shirkat Gah Women Resource Centre.

“It is imperative that we move towards privatisation to improve service delivery, which will also bring improvement to the performance of government departments,” she said.

Mr Buledi said that reforms were under way in the education sector. “We have increased the allocation for University Finance Commission to Rs2.75 billion while giving Rs340 million to the University of Balochistan.

He said the government had formulated a gender policy which will be placed before the assembly for approval and implementation. The minister announced that 14,000 women would be provided employment opportunities. He said that in order to provide better medical facilities in hospitals, quality education in schools and to solve the problem of children’s dropout, practical work had to be done.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2021