UAF plans to celebrate Women Day: Enhanced women's role termed vital in socioeconomic development

Enhanced role of women in socio-economic development is imperative to compete with the world, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while addressing the women faculty staff of the University at New Senate Hall.
He lauded the steps being taken on the part of the government for women empowerment and creating the gender friendly society. He said the UAF was mapping out a comprehensive plan to celebrate the International Women Day on March 8 with zeal and enthusiasm on the directive of Punjab Chief Minister as a step to acknowledge their role and to enhance their participation. He said no society could make progress without the active participation of female.
He said Pakistan population was having 51 percent of women, adding "If they are equipped with quality education, the country can progress rapidly." He said literacy rate in the country was only 58 percent, adding only 47 percent women were literate compared to 70 percent of men.
He said "we could not progress without involving women in social and economic life and bringing them into mainstream. The women are standing shoulder to shoulder to the men in the socio-economic activities in the modern era." He said "Islam attaches great importance to women."
Talking about the UAF initiatives, he said the university was taking all tangible steps to provide the state-of-the-art facilities to the women. The women faculty members are 130 compared to 35 four years ago. The gender ratio in the postgraduate programmes is 47 women to 53 men. The Day Care Centre, Women Complex comprising four hostels with state-of-the-art residential and sports facilities, Career Development Centre and working women hostel have been added. Principal Officer Public Relations and Publication Professor Dr Jalal Arif said UAF administration was making all out efforts to provide the modern facilities to women, adding that active participation of women was vital for progress.