Women’s participation imperative for development: Ahsan

ISLAMABAD: Professor Ahsan, the minister for planning and development, stated on Thursday that the active participation of women, who make up nearly half of the nation’s population, is essential to achieving the necessary goals of national development and prosperity.

While presiding over a meeting here, he stated that economic development depended on giving women the most opportunities for education and employment. He claimed that in order to provide girls with an education and prepare them to be contributing members of society, the government had established university campuses, even in rural areas of the Balochistan province. The minister emphasized the need for removing all barriers in that regard and stated that giving women equal access to education and employment opportunities was one of the government’s top priorities.

Ahsan Iqbal said the government had prepared several programs in the Information Technology and Industrial sectors, besides allocating 50 per cent of loan-fund for them.

He acknowledged that women were achieving greater success in almost every field, but they just needed more and more opportunities and encouragement.

He was of the view to promote the culture of ‘zero tolerance”, if there was any harassment against women at their respective places.

In the upcoming federal budget, the minister said special measures were being taken for women development and economic empowerment.