Sindh Department for Women Development is in process of a comprehensive policy formulation for women empowerment, with major focus on mainstreaming gender issues in the law and their subsequent implementation mechanisms, said Mussarat Jabeen, a senior official of the department.
Addressing the participants of a strategic dialogue to incorporate the concerns of formal and informal women workers in the provincial policies and programs, on Tuesday, she said devolution consequent to 18th amendment in the constitution has provided a window of opportunity to the women development department (WDD) and the civil society activists.
“We are in fast process to prepare a comprehensive policy and the consultation is a step in this direction,” she said and hoped that exercise will help develop a clear set of recommendations for the government of Sindh.
The dialogue was organised by Women Development Department (WDD) Sindh in collaboration with UN Women and Asian Development Bank with the purpose to link the issues of informal and formal women workers with representation of women from the field in relevant policy decisions of the government.
It was also focussed on promotion of economic empowerment of women initiatives by the government and the private sector so as to particularly incorporate women home based workers’ specific concerns and needs within broader humanitarian response, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities and other key development policies and strategies.
Ms Usma Altaf, gender specialist from Asian Development Bank discussing the issue of “Restoration and Rebuilding of Livelihoods,” recommended capacity and restructuring of the Women Development Department, especially after devolution and 18th amendment in the constitution.
Ume Laila Azhar, Executive Director from Homenet Pakistan, highlighted the issues of home based women workers and mentioned that women home-based workers were severely affected by the floods in 2010 and 2011.
“Since livestock management is traditionally women’s domain in Pakistan, the impact of loss of livestock and fodder crops had multiple detrimental impacts on women, she said. Sindh Minister for Women Development Ms. Taqueer Fatima Bhutto who could not attended the session due to ill health in her message hoped that the proposals and recommendations that emerged from the dialogue session would be helpful in formulating a suitable and sustainable policy for development and empowerment of women in Sindh.
Ms Qadir Adham from UN Women Islamabad and Ms.Farhat Bhatti from UN- Women Sindh conducted the program. The welcome address was presented by WDD – Secretary for Sindh, Mohammad Nawaz Naseem who also highlighted WDD’s role in reviewing policies and providing input in engendering these policies, especially in the post devolution scenario.
