Lieutenant General Sajjad Akram, Deputy Chairman, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) has said that Erra adopted Gender as a cross cutting theme in every sector so that both genders could have equal opportunities of life in the earthquake affected areas.
Deputy Chairman Erra was addressing the Erra's 5th Gender Core Group meeting held at Erra Headquarters here on Thursday. He acknowledged the efforts of Serra and Perra in the earthquake affected areas saying that both the organisations have worked a lot for gender neutralisation.
Sajjad Akram emphasised on the need to emulate the example of Erra Gender Mainstreaming in the rest of the country, saying that once gender mainstreaming was introduced all over the country, it will help Pakistan in socio economic growth and lead towards development and prosperity. He said that the interventions in this regard have positively impacted the lives of the people especially women.
Representatives of Serra and Perra, in their separate presentations, briefed about the pace of infrastructural development of Women Development Centres in AJ&K and NWFP respectively. One Women Development Centre is working successfully in Muzaffarabad whereas more centres are being built in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Bagh, Battagram, Rawalakot, Neelum, Kohistan and Shangla.
Other than this, Deputy Chairman Erra was also briefed on the workshops and seminars that have been arranged so far for sensitising the population on gender equality and related themes and the resultant positive impact that has been accomplished. The meeting was attended by the representatives from Serra, Perra, Ministry of Women Development (MoWD), UNIFEM, CIDA and other high ranking officials.