ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: The Senate Standing Committee on Women Development has recommended provision of soft loans and micro credits to women for opening utility stores.

The Committee met with Mrs Tahira Latif in the chair observed that it would help them to live an honourable life in the society.

The Senate body called upon the Ministry of Women Development to take more steps for the socio-economic and political empowerment of the women folk of the country with a view to bringing them into the mainstream of national development process.

According to a press release, the Committee was given a detailed briefing on Pak-German Technical Cooperation Project (GTZ). The Committee urged the Ministry to use media for creating awareness of various projects initiated for the well being of women particularly those belonging to rural areas.

The members of the Committee appreciated the GTZ project and expressed the hope that training gained and technical skills achieved from the project would improve the working of the Ministry and other stake holders and enable them to work for the social, political and economic uplift of women.

They also underlined the need for chalking out vibrant policies to end all kinds of discrimination against women in the society and make them aware of their rights in different capacities. It was suggested that the Ministry of Women Development should develop a criteria in black and white for establishment of women centres in different parts of the country.— Our Reporter