SWAT, 13 March 2020 (GNP): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Women Empowerment Policy (WEP) substantiates government’s strong commitment towards dealing with challenges that hinder women’s empowerment, said Sajida Hanif, Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) and Member Gender Mainstreaming Committee KP, at an event organized by UN Women Pakistan to mark International Women’s Day with the residents of Dar-ul-Aman (shelter home) Swat on Thursday.
Residents of Dar-ul-Aman were briefed on different aspects of WEP and how an effective implementation will benefit women and girls of KP, including survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) living in shelter homes across the province. Officials from government line departments and civil society members also attended the event.
KP’s Women Empowerment Policy has identified social, economic, political and legal empowerment including access to justice as key areas for the provincial government to work on enhancing the role of women in society with an aim to advance gender equality and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with focus on SDG 5.
MPA Zeenat Bibi said that measures had been taken by the government under the policy to end gender disparities and help achieve the targets set out in the provincial framework for SDGs.
Ayesha Bano, General Secretary of the Women Parliamentary Caucus KP, acknowledged and appreciated UN Women Pakistan for its invaluable contribution and support in developing the first provincial Women Empowerment Policy and reiterated the government’s commitment towards implementing the policy effectively.
Zainab Qaisar Khan, Head of UN Women Provincial Office KP, reassured UN Women’s support to the government for WEP implementation in order to advance women empowerment and end all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls in the province.
Earlier, GBV survivors shared their stories and coping strategies that they had adopted to recover from their untoward experiences. Nusrat Bibi, District Officer Social Welfare Swat, briefed about the journey of women survivors from sufferings to reintegration into society. (GNP)