The Women Development Ministry has allocated Rs 269.783 million for 17 women mega projects under the Public Sector Development Programme for the current year.
Sources told Business Recorder on Friday that out of the total allocated amount, the ministry had spent about Rs 60 million within three months of the current financial year ie, 25 percent of the total.
They said that the first quarter review meeting would be held on October 11. They said that 25 women crisis centers, gender reform action plan (GRAP), community mobilisation programme, Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) and District Resource Project for lady councillors were also included in these projects.
They said that the district resource center project for lady councilors was started in collaboration with the district governments in 12 districts as these centers provide platform to lady councilors for meetings to resolve problems of the districts. They said that Community Mobilisation Programme was started in five districts-Multan, Kohat, Nawabshah, Mirpur and Quetta adding that workshops, seminars and walks were arranged for awareness regarding the gender sensitisation and violence against women.
They said that women from all segments of the society, NGOs and semi-government organisations participated in the community mobilisation programme. The aim of the programme was to create awareness on women empowerment, they added. The government has finalised Rs 7 million media campaign project that was delayed due to Minister Sumaira Malik's one month tour abroad, the sources said. They said the Departmental Development Party Meeting (DDWP) would be conducted in December to review the programmes and policies.