TEXT: Today, we celebrate the women of the past, the present, and the future. Today, we celebrate the resolve, strength, resilience, and the individual and collective power held by each and every woman around the world. This is for you. This is for us.

We are far from achieving gender parity in the world, let alone in Pakistan. Almost half of Pakistani women are neither literate nor formally educated. Hardly a quarter of Pakistani women are active in the workforce which means that we are missing out on the collective cognitive capabilities of our people as well as their potential to nurture economic growth.

Just imagine the scale of possibilities that women can bring to their communities, society, and to the country if they are an integral part of the economic engine that keeps the nation running. There is no shortage of possibilities for women. Only a shortage of opportunities. There is no shortage of female talent, capability, or the capacity to handle pressure, achieve goals, and start businesses. But there is a shortage of chances for women to raise their standards of education, literacy, equal wages and equal opportunities.

At EBM, we believe in providing women with the same opportunities that we provide all our employees. We believe in giving them the same chances to ascend and take ownership of senior leadership positions. We enable them to learn new skills and encourage work-life balance. After all, if our role as homemakers is compromised, then how do we become self-sufficient career-makers?

We believe change starts now. It starts from home. It starts from the workplace. It starts from the heart. It starts from you, and it starts from all of us.

Happy International Women’s Day.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022