Upon the completion of the first year activities of the USAID funded Gender Equity Program (GEP), the National Advisory Forum (NAF) of the GEP organized an event on Saturday. The event was titled ‘Pathways of Progress for the Women of Pakistan: Local and National Actions under the Gender Equity Program.’
On this occasion the GEP invited its sub-grantees from all over Pakistan. The sub-grantees participated and showcased the work which they had been conducting under GEP. During the past one year, the GEP had achieved great successes and carved its presence among in the civil society, partner institutions, government institutions, the academia, the media and the general public.
GEP’s National Advisory Forum Chairperson Shahnaz Wazir Ali said that GEP provided opportunities for women advancement, both in terms of funding as well as strategic design. Justice (r) Majida Rizvi stressed the recognition of women’s identity by including their mothers name in all identity documents. She further stressed civil society organizations to start advocacy and lobbying for adding the mothers name in identity documents and civil registrations.
Ms Anis Haroon stressed the need for opening up at the provincial level the discourse of how to enhance protective legislation, and improve mind sets towards women’s right. Haroon pledged that NCSW would continue to provide guidance and support to every provincial ministry according to its needs. Ms Sitara Ayaz highlighted the work which the Ministry of Women’s Development had undertaken in setting up a provincial commission on the status of women.
She also emphasized on the replication of such initiatives in other provinces.
Sindh Provincial Minster for Women Development Ms Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto stressed the need of provincial coordination for new initiatives and legislative measures to be taken for the increased participation of women. Balochistan Provincial Minster for Women Development Ms Ghazala Gola shared the initiative taken by her ministry to establish bathrooms for women on all highways in the province.