LAHORE – Gender Reform Action Plan (GRAP) Project Coordinator Hafiz Ilyas inaugurated the spring festival session to mark the Women’s Year 2011 at Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) on Thursday and said that gender equality was considered to be the vital concern in the process of development therefore investment in women’s empowerment was the key to improve the economic, political and social conditions in Pakistan.
LCWU gender studies department organized the spring gala in collaboration with GRAP to stress the objective of Women’s Year 2011 as empowerment of women in Pakistan and to bring forward the experiences, insight and knowledge of both men and women that is needed for the national development to be effective and sustainable. LCWU founder Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Bushra Muteen was the chief guest at the opening ceremony. She said, “Women play due role along with their male counterparts in diverse fields but never gain recognition or rewards for their tireless efforts so there is dire need to recognize their efforts”.
LCWU VC Dr Farhat Saleemi said that women empowerment must not be limited to control over reproduction or financial independence rather it should be a combination of literacy, employment and health improvement. Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Executive Committee member Shaeem Akhter said though women were provided access to education they did not have control and power over household decision making, improved child well-being, income and increased resources. Ilyas said GRAP had introduced reforms including institutional restructuring, policy, budgeting and public expenditure mechanism.
