Punjab's Economic Programme Focused On Gender Equality: Qazi

:Punjab Planning and Development Board (P&D Board) Chief Economist Ali Bahadur Qazi has said that provincial government's economic programme focused on engaging various stakeholders in gender equality policy making.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Dec, 2022 ) :Punjab Planning and Development board (P&D Board) Chief Economist Ali Bahadur Qazi has said that provincial government's economic programme focused on engaging various stakeholders in gender equality policy making.

He was addressing a consultative dialogue jointly organised by UNDP and government of Punjab on UNDP Pakistan Gender Equality Strategy: Provincial Consultations on Portfolio Development Punjab here on Tuesday.

Ali Bahadur Qazi said that annual development programme of the Punjab government was around Rs 690 billion with emphasis on gender equality. "Our focus is on gender budgeting, which aims to give more importance to women's empowerment aspect in every development project," he maintained.

He said that Punjab Women Development Department was also playing a very important role in this regard and its budget had also been increased from Rs 400 million to Rs 900 million this year. Apart from this, various targets had been given in the Sustainable Development Goals till 2030. He said that 17 goals had been included in agenda 2030 programme in which goal five specially focused on gender equality and it had great affects on all 17 goals, including health, education, zero poverty programmes.

He said, "We can say that Goal 5 also affects health facilities, such as how to take care of the health of women and children and how to provide women and children with better education, better environment and nutrition facilities." He said that purpose of today's workshop was also to discuss Goal No.

5 and look at its various aspects, including ending violence against women and eliminating gender discrimination from the society. He said that as far as Punjab was concerned, Punjab was performing much better in gender equality as compared to the other provinces but a lot of work still needed to be done. He said that currently the labour force participation of women in Punjab was 28 percent and along with this, 15 percent quota in government jobs was reserved for women which was also being achieved.

Qazi said that establishment of day care centers in government departments was also being implemented.

He said the government was also focusing on the health of mother. All these measures would have an impact on women's welfare and gender equality.

Earlier addressing the the event UNDP Pakistan Deputy Representative Aliona Niculita reiterated UNDP's strong commitment to achieving the common objectives of reducing gender inequality and mainstreaming gender within internal systems and external programming, in collaboration with provincial stakeholders.

She said that these provincial consultations and community meetings were being carried out to glean insights from provincial stakeholders and understand gender inequality challenges at the community level.

Chief SDGs P&D Board Saba Asghar Ali, senior government officials, civil society, private sector representatives and academicians participated in the consultations.