Women empowerment programmes

Women empowerment programmes are primarily innovative initiatives of President Pervez Musharraf, who himself set them out as top priority on the government agenda for 'National Policy for Development and Empowerment of Women' on March 7 in 2002.
Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah in her address to the staff and students of the Frontier College for Woman, Peshawar in May, 1957 lauding the women's role in national prosperity had said in categorical tone "Women are the custodians of a sacred trust-the best in the cultural and spiritual heritage of the nation.
"That trust you could only discharge if you were properly equipped for the task of homemaking according to the concepts and values which your nation holds dear."
Sharing the similar vision, Minister for Women Development and Youth Affairs Sumaira Malik is of the view that priority should be accorded to women emancipation for national development and prosperity.
According to the Ministry of Women Development, a National Fund for Advancement of Rural Women (Jafakash Aurat) with seed money of Rs 100 million has a special focus on rural women.
The Fund has been set up through a number of commercial banks including Khushhali and First Women Bank and Aga Khan Rural Support Programme to provide simultaneously skill, employment and income to nearly 23,000 rural women which is beneficial for over 74,000 households.
The Micro-Credit Scheme, introduced recently through commercial banks (Khushhali and First Women Bank) is expected to introduce a new entrepreneurial class among poor women on local basis.
The present government has also taken several other initiatives to wipe out gender barriers including enactment of honour killing bill; reservation of quota for women in government jobs including civil superior services; induction of women in Armed Forces; enactment of women protection bill (legal and social empowerment of women) and; 17 per cent quota reserved for women in Parliament and 33 per cent in Local Bodies.
Forty two 'Gender Focal Points' have since been established in the Federal Ministries and departments to ensure that programmes planned and executed are of gender perspective especially in sensitive ministries like Interior, Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, Health and Education.
Reduction of gender gaps in education at all levels and legislation for compulsory primary education in the provinces of the Punjab and NWFP, and in the Federally Administered Areas and stipend for rural girls are salient features of the programme.
Likewise introduction of Mixed School System, establishment of 1,465 girls primary/community model schools, 8045 non-formal schools, resulting in doubling enrolment in primary, nearly 30 per cent increase in middle and almost equal increase in higher education of girls, compared to boys, form part of the plans.
The 'Political Empowerment of Women' which includes placement of women in high positions of decision-making and their participation in electoral positions at federal, provincial, and local levels under the 'Devolution Plan' is providing 33 per cent representation of women at all tiers of local elected bodies having 39,964 women, and a total of 787 women representing the concept of political participation of women.
'Women Political Schools (WPS)' established with the assistance of international donor agencies and 'District Resources Centres for Women' are innovative projects infusing political vision and awareness among hitherto neglected women in rural and semi-urban areas of the country. Under the WPS project over 26,000 women councillors had been groomed to effectively discharge their responsibilities at grass roots level.
Moreover, the Ministry is also starting training for 12,000 male nazim and naib nazim of union councils across the country in accordance with the women councillors' suggestion enabling them to effectively perform their duties in tandem with female representatives in the local government system.