KARACHI, Oct 23: Speakers at a meeting of the provincial NGOs’ Council on ‘Beijing Plus-10’, Sindh, on Wednesday underlined the need for making vigorous efforts to implement the National Plan of Action (NPA) for Women.

The meeting of various non-governmental organizations was convened by the Entrepreneurship and Career Development Institute (ECDI) with regard to the NPA Monitoring and Coordination in Sindh.

Ms Nazneen Ansari, Director of the provincial Social Welfare and Women Development Department, presided over the meeting which was attended by the representatives of the provincial government departments and the NGOs from the five divisions of Sindh. and provincial government departments attended the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Parveen A. Shaikh, President of the ECDI and the Council, said that her organization plans holding of a seminar by early December to discuss progress in the implementation of the NPA in Sindh. The audience expressed their views regarding the holding of the seminar.

She told them that after the seminar, the Sindh report would be presented in a national-level seminar, also to be held in Sindh.

Ms Shaikh gave a presentation on ‘Women and Economy/Poverty’.

The government representatives briefed the participants on the performance of their respective departments in respect of the implementation of the NPA. Mrs Shamim Kazmi explained her NGO’s work at women jails in the province.

She revealed that condition of inmates in the women jail in Larkana was not satisfactory due to non-cooperation of its superintendent. However, she said, situation in Sukkur jail was encouraging where a separate portion for women inmate had been created.

In his presentation, the Deputy Secretary (Technical) of the provincial Forests and Wildlife Department, Mehboob Ali Bhatti, said that the department had initiated various projects like the honey bee & silk worm farming and social forestry.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Ms Farhat Rashid, Director of Industries, Mushtaq Ahmed, Director of Labour and Roshan Ali, Deputy Director of Manpower.—APP