Provincial Minister for Women's Development Hameeda Waheed ud Din has said the government has taken a number of concrete steps for women empowerment with a view to bring them into the national mainstream. She was speaking at the inauguration of day-care centre at Management, Professional and Development Department (MPDD), here on Monday.
Secretary MPDD Nadeem Irshad Kiyani, Secretary Women Development Bushra Aman and officers and staff of MPDD were also present on this occasion. Hameeda Waheed ud Din said that with a view to facilitating working women, day-care centres are being set up across the province under a phased programme. She said that Punjab Day-care Fund Society has been established for the management of these day-are centres and meetings of its Board are being held regularly.
She said that the society monitors performance of day-are centre, training of the staff and available facilities. She said that as many as 74 day-are centre have so far been established while more such centre will be set up during current fiscal year. She said that Pakistan cannot make commendable progress without due participation of women in the development process.
"Pakistani women are very talented and have proved their abilities in different sectors", added the Minister. She said that jobs quota in government sector for women, has been increased from 5 to 15 percent. She said that working women hostels are also being set up in various districts for the benefit of working women. She said that the government has ensured socio-economic development of women by taking further steps for protection of their rights under women packages. Earlier, Hameeda Waheed ud Din accompanied by the Secretary MPDD, Secretary WDD and staff members inaugurated the day-centre She also visited playroom, nursery and kitchen of the day-care centre nd appreciated the standard of available facilities.