$4.3 million project to educate rural women soon: adviser

Adviser to Prime Minister on Women Development, Nilofer Bakhtiar on Friday said the government would soon launch a project worth $4.3 million for the development of women of rural areas.
She was addressing the orientation ceremony of 'Women's Expo' at a local hotel. This event is scheduled to be held from April 13-16, 2006 at Expo Centre Karachi, organised by 4th Dimensions in collaboration with the Women Development Department, Sindh.
"The Ministry of Women Development in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is soon launching a project which is aimed to educate the illiterate women of the far-flung areas of the country," the adviser remarked.
She underlined the challenges being faced by the government after the 8/10 tragedy and said the masses should join hands more effectively with the government in order to complete the relief work before the winter sets in.
Nilofer pointed out that the legislation for the sovereignty of women in the country would be launched shortly and the ministry was working promptly and seriously on the matter.
"We are coming soon with the necessary amendments in the 'Hudood laws'," she maintained, adding that the government has already established 10 crisis centres for needy women and another 10 such centres would be set up soon.
"The women are tortured, harassed or teased either by the law enforcement agencies or by any other influential person just because she does not know how to raise voice against injustice and the person who disgraces any woman knows that she would not complain anyone due to the social bindings," the adviser added.
She stressed the need to empower women economically and said it has been observed that such woman could better serve at job and home.
In her address, Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik said that the efforts to empower women being carried by the provinces must be synchronised.
On the occasion, Dr Shahida Fazil, Assistant representative of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Jahan Ara Hai, Vice President All Pakistan Women Association, and Sultana Siddiqui, chairperson of a private TV channel, also spoke.