Federal Ministry for Women Development is in process to evolve a strategy making local women strong enough to contest the next national polls on seats reserved for women as well as on general seats - without any provision for specified quota.
This was said by Adviser to the Prime Minister for Women Development Ms Nilofer Bakhtiar, while addressing members of Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) here on Saturday.
Responding to queries raised by president Pakistan Business and Professional Women Begum Salma Ahmed, she said: "I am a strong exponent of merit as sole criteria in all fields and feel that women undergoing a series of political training and education would be in a position to win women seats on the basis of their services and qualification."
However, in the same breath she defended her ministry's support for a comprehensive women recruitment policy. Elaborating the same she said: "Measures are being adopted to constitute special women committee besides provision for promotion committees, which may review the issue of promotion and postings of women employees serving the public sector.
According to her, the situation in the country with little education and training opportunities for women makes it necessary that they be extended support till the time that they could compete on merit basis.
The Advisor mentioned that despite her keenness for a woman secretary for the Ministry of Women Development this could not be managed as there happened to be no woman public servant in grade 22 and less than five in grade 21.
VOCATIONAL CENTRES: Meanwhile, with regard to efforts being made for economic empowerment of local women she said, "the Ministry of Women Development is in process of establishing vocational centres-cum-business incubators in rural as well as in semi-urban parts of the country to streamline efforts of women involved in home-based income generating activities.
"Through a grant of Rs 100 million given by President Pervez Musharraf, a strategy is being evolved to ensure economic empowerment of rural women and the women entrepreneurs, particularly belonging to Women Chamber of Commerce, can come forward with efficient proposals," she said.
Nilofer Bakhtiar also referred to increase in the share of Ministry of Women Development from five percent last year to 20 percent this year with the idea to strengthen its contribution towards the cause of women development.
She also referred to the massive budgetary allocations made during the current fiscal year for economic empowerment of women citizens of the country as an initiative paving way for uplift of women, particularly in the rural and remote areas where they are yet to have a right for dignified existence.
On the occasion, she explicitly discussed a full-fledged programme for legal and political empowerment of women. Earlier, president Women Chamber of Commerce Salma Ahmed, in her welcome address, mentioned that the Chamber only this year has been able to sign several memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with different trade and commerce bodies of India and would also be actively participating in an international trade fair to be held again in India in the next few months.
The session was also addressed by Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik, president First Women Bank Ms Zarine Aziz and German Consul General in Karachi Ms Yerene Grafin von Poedern. The presentations were followed by a lively question and answer session.
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