ISLAMABAD, March 6: The ministry of women development, social welfare and special education has asked the economic managers of the country, busy in preparing Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), to ensure women’s participation in future policy making so that they may be able to effectively address women specific issues.

Sources told Dawn that future financial commitments by the country with International Monetary Fund, World Bank or other international donor agencies would focus on poverty reduction projects.

Therefore, the ministry of women development that had been one of the least important federal ministries wanted to make it sure that it would be getting its due share in future planning, they said.

“So far, in the country, policy making has been gender-blind resulting in lack of opportunities for female section of the society.

“Unfortunately, over the years, Pakistan had virtually ignored women development at every level in the society,” they added.

According to the latest population statistics, women population has surpassed male population in the country—52 per cent to 48 per cent.

They said, in the recently held meeting with the federal secretary, ministry of women development, it had been agreed that future development policies should not be gender biased.

“We have also constituted an expert group to make recommendations that how the future development projects in the country can be made gender-balanced”, they said.

The group will present its report at the end of on-going month that will be forwarded to the concerned quarters at the helm of affairs, they said.

“The ministry representing 52 per cent population of the country at the national policy making levels has started asserting its position and will continue to do so in future,” the sources said.

The federal government is working on the PRSP that is to be finalized by April 15. The PRSP will play an important role as far as international financial assistance to the country is concerned.

It is worth mentioning here that the non-governmental organizations are accusing the government for not consulting people from the social development sector in the finalization process of the PRSP.