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Workshop on Gender Reform Action Plans: Gender equity a must to end poverty

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Full potential of economic growth and alleviation of poverty in Pakistan will not be achieved until women from all social groups are able to overcome social exclusion, said Rune Stroem, country director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday.

He was addressing a workshop of Gender Reform Action Plans (GRAPs) stakeholders, organised by the Ministry for Women Development and Decentralisation Support Program of the Finance Division in collaboration with the ADB.

Gender equality and development would continue to be a top priority for ADB in Pakistan, said Stroem. He emphasised the need for implementing policy commitments made by the federal and provincial governments. “We remain committed to gender mainstreaming throughout our operations in Pakistan,” he said, launching the ADB’s country gender assessment report.

Ghazala Gola, Balochistan minister for women development, said women, particularly in Balochistan and Sindh, were facing severe handicaps. “Pakistan will not be able to develop without gender equity, human rights and social justice,” she said.

Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, Sindh minister for women development, emphasised the need for better coordination between donors, federal and provincial GRAPs. She acknowledged the fact that there were many problems with regard to the gender equity in Sindh. “We are doing our best correct the situation,” she said.

Representatives of federal and provincial governments briefed the participants on GRAP-related projects. GRAPs stakeholders and donors such as GTZ, CIDA, and SDC attended the workshop. Prominent among the participants were Ayub Qazi, Rabia Javeria, Afsar Khan, Shabbir Ahmad and Rehana Hashmi.

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