Islamabad, Feb 12: The European Union (EU), in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the Pakistan Women Leaders Project (PWL) in Islamabad. This four-year has been funded with 4.8 million euros, and it aims to enhance women’s leadership and political participation in Pakistan with the objective of advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
While addressing the audience, Dr. Shahida Rehmani, Member National Assembly (MNA) and Secretary of the National Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), stated, “Women’s leadership is the cornerstone of progress. Empowering women means empowering Pakistan. This project is both timely and a crucial step in the right direction.”
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During the keynote remarks, Dr. Riina Kionka, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, said, “The European Union is committed to promoting gender equality and women’s leadership. The launch of the Pakistan Women Leaders Project is a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society.
One distinctive feature of this program is the mentorship program through which aspiring women parliamentarians, local councillors and women leaders will be mentored by engagement of the civil society to play a crucial role in advancing gender equality. With women comprising nearly half of Pakistan’s 240-million population, closing the gender gap in leadership through such mentorship programs is critical.”
Mr. Jamshed M. Kazi, Country Representative of UN Women Pakistan, emphasized the project’s relevance for promoting gender equality and stated, “This project addresses important challenges, such as increasing women’s participation in the electoral process and decision-making roles, and addressing socio-cultural and economic barriers that limit their engagement in political life. The Pakistan Women Leaders Project aims to promote women’s leadership across Pakistan.”
Commenting on the project, Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan, said, “Empowering women as leaders through social and political participation is central to addressing systemic inequalities and creating a more equitable future.
Through the PWL Project, UNDP will support the design and implementation of civic and voter education campaigns for women and socially marginalized groups across 15 districts with the lowest voter enrolment. We will also collaborate with partners to improve regulations on preventing violence against these groups in political and electoral processes.”
