N E W S

Updated on 26-05-09   (as furnished by WDD)

1.       UAN Number: 111-623-937 for the benefit and support of the women of the province desiring contact with the department, the UAN has been allotted.  Mr. Ali Azmat, Office Superintendent has been nominated as Focal Person of the UAN.

2.       Women Complaint Cell at Hyderabad Bunglow No.A-31, Block-1, Phase-1, Qasimabad, Hyderbad has been inaugurated by the Honoruable Minister, Women Development Sindh on 18^th May, 2009. The cell will provide legal, medical and psychological support to the women in distress. The cell will remain open during office hours i.e. 09.00 AM to 04.00 PM

Ms. Qurat-ul-Ain, Psychologist is looking after the cell.

3.     Relief Camp for the support of dislocated persons of Swat has been established at KDA Scheme No.1 near main Stadium Road, Karachi since  15.05.2009.  The relief goods will be collected and dispatched to Swat for the needy persons.

4.      The Directorate of Women Development held one day seminar on Violence against Women in collaboration with IMSA Hyderabad on 18.05.2009.  The Honourable Minister, Women Development chaired the seminar.  The speakers stressed the need advocacy and education for women so as to curtail the act of violence against women. 

Updated on 22-01-09   (as furnished by WDD)

1.         KHULI KACHERIES:       On the advice of Honourable Chief Minister Sindh, following the policy of building linkages with the women of the province the Minister, Women Development Sindh convened Khuli Kacheries to address the women problems and issued instruction on the spot to the concerned quarters for resolving the matters of the applicants.  The kacheries were held at Nawabshah on 02.01.2009 and at Umerkot on 19.01.2009.

2.         BABY CHILD TRIANING: The Honourable Minister Sindh visited

Khairpur on 17.01.2009 and inaugurated baby child care training to be imparted to the girls/ women of the area under the ADP project.  The three months training will last upto 14.04.2009.

3.       WOMEN BEDMINTON TOURNAMENT: The Honourable Minister Sindh inaugurated all Pakistan Inter Versity Badminton Championship organized by Shah Latif University Khaipur on 17.01.2009 at Khairpur.

Updated on 20-12-08  (as furnished by WDD)

DISTRIBUTION OF CERTIFICATE ON COMPLITION BABY CHILD TRAINING LARKANA DATED 23-11-2008.

                   The Minister, Women Development along with Director of Women Development visited Larkana to review the training being imparted by the Directorate to the Women Trainees on Baby Child Care. The Honorable Minister awarded completion Certificate and stipend to the successful Candidates.

 INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN       DATED 24.11.2008

                   A seminar was held at the Directorate of Women Development chaired by Ms. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, Minister of Women Development Sindh.  Mr. Gul Muhammad Umrani, Secretary of Women Development Department, Mr. Ashfaque Ahmed Qadri, Director, Women Development, Ms. Sabiha Shah, Chairperson, Benazir Bhutto Complaint Centre attended the seminar alongwith women rights activists NGOs, members of the District Administration and representatives of Media.  The Speakers condemned the violence against women and affirmed their commitment to continue combat against violence.   

CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP ON WOMEN’S RIGHT ISSUES/BILL                    The consultative workshop Women’s Right Issue/Bill was held on

29-11-2008, at Directorate of Women Development, Govt. of Sindh under ADP scheme Establishment of Women Complaint Cell in Sindh. The subject matter of the workshop was the bill presented by Ms. Humaira Alwani, MPA, Sindh Assembly to eradicate violence against women in various sectors of Sindh. The workshop was attended by representative of Govt. department and women rights activists NGOs. The Minister of Women Development Ms. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto presided over the workshop.

The Secretary of Women Development Department Mr. Gul Muhammad Umrani in his welcome address highlighted the aims and objectives of the workshop and  importance of the bill for enforcement of women rights. 

                    Among others the workshop was attended by :-

Mr. Iqbal Detho, Consultant, SAARL Shikarpur

Ms. Bushra Syed from Maddadgar

Ms. Fauzia Ashraf

Mr. Iqbal Saeed, Additional Secretary

Mr. Aijaz Jamali. Journalist

Ms. Aneela Ansari

Ms. Mussarat Jabeen, Deputy Director

                    The speakers pointed out the legal and administrative changes to be brought to ensure protection of women rights.

Minister, Women Development Sindh in her closing remarks expressed the need of legal coverage to support women victim of violence.  She further added that the consolidated recommendation of the forum will be placed before the concerned authorities for amendments in relevant law.

SEMINAR ON “ROLE OF WORKING WOMEN IN SOCIO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT”

A seminar was held on 01-12-2008 at Hotel Beach Luxury, Minister, Women Development Ms. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto was the Chief Guest. The program was held under ADP project Women Complain Cells.

The Secretary, Women Development in his welcome address elaborated the role of working women in the economic development.

Following guest speakers attended the seminar and expressed their valuable views on the subject :-

Ms.Shamim Kazmi, President, Agri. Business Professional Women Association.

Ms. Shereen Rahmatullah,

Ms. Dure Shehwar Nisar, Chairperson, Women Entrepreneurs, Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Ms. Shagufta Ali Zia, Consultant GTZ 

Dr. Shahnaz Shellwani, UNFPA

Ms. Rashida Valika, Asstt. Professor SZABIST

Dr. Khalida Ghous, MD, SPDC

Ms. Rehana Ghulam Ali Memon, Special Secretary P&D

Ms. Zareen Aziz, Presedent, FWB

In the Addressed the Chief Guest Ms. Touqeer Fatima Bhutto Women Development Sindh  highlighted the role of working Women in the Socio Economic Empowerment and emphasized the need to provide available resources to Educated Women for playing their roll in the Development of economy.

DISTRIBUTION OF CERTIFICATE ON COMPLITION BABY CHILD TRAINING KEAMARI TOWN, KARACHI DATED 01-12-2008. 

The Minister, Women Development reviewed the training being imparted by the Directorate to the Women Trainees on Baby Child Care. The Honorable Minister awarded completion Certificate and stipend to the successful Candidates of Keamari Town, Karachi.         

DISTRIBUTION OF CERTIFICATE ON COMPLITION BABY CHILD TRAINING NAWABSHAH DATED 05-12-2008.

The Minister, Women Development alongwith Secretary Women Development Department and Director of Directorate of Women Development Sindh visited Nawabshah to review the training being imparted by the Directorate to the Women Trainees on Baby Child Care. The Honorable Minister awarded completion Certificate and stipend to the successful Candidates.

The Minister Women Development also attended the Women sports at Nawabshah and awarded certificates. 

REVIEW MEETING DIRECTORATE OF WOMEN DEVELOPMENT DATED 15-12-2008

A meeting was convened in the office of Minister, Women Development,

Ms. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto to review the progress of the ADP projects/schemes under taken by the Directorate of Women Development, Government of Sindh. The meeting was attended by the Secretary, Women Development, Mr.Gul Muhammad Umrani , Director Women Development Mr. Ashfaque Ahmed Qaddri and Coordinators of the projects. The Secretary, Women Development emphasized the need to accelerate the  development activities of the projects.  He categorically advised to remove the bottlenecks in the development activities. The Minister Women Development ordered continuous review and monitoring of the projects and completion of projects within time so as to ensure the successful service delivery to the needy Women of the province. She further ordered to convene the review meeting every month ensuring attainment of physical target.   

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 Update  on  06-11-08

The Minister of Women Development Department chaired the meeting to review progress of GRAP impletion at district level. The meeting was attended by representative of Finance & planning and CDD of all the districts of Sindh. The meeting was also attended by Secretary Women Development and Director Women Development. The Minister stressed upon the early and timely completion of GRAP project in the district the Minister also informed the meeting that she will also visit every district to personally view the progress of the project. It was also decided that the review meeting will be held quarterly.  

 Updated  on  3.11.08 

The Directorate of Women Development continuously monitors and evaluate performance of projects and schemes.  The Director, Women Development visited District Nawabshah on 27^th and 28^th October, 2008 to review the progress of the projects namely Working Women Hotel which is under construction by C&W Department, Baby Child Care Training in all the District Headquarters of Sindh and 18 Towns in Karachi being imparted at Nawabshah, presently.  

-        The project Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme has started functioning.  The PC-1 of the project has been approved by P&D Department and process of staff recruitment has been started.  Various institutes/professional bodies are being short listed to impart training in various fields.     

          A relief camp for collection of relief goods for sufferer of Earth Quack of Baluchistan has been established at Directorate of Women Development Department. The Ministers Women Development visited the camp on 1-11-2008. She expressed deep sorrow and  grief on the natural disaster in Baluchistan. She instructed the Department to extend full support and cooperation to the suffers of Earth Quack. The relive goods may be delivered to the Directorate of Women Development Department on the following address:

C 33, Block-6 P.E.C.H.S main Sharah-e-Faisal   behind Standard Chartered Bank.

 Tel No. 4544494 

 Updated on 13-10-08

The Directorate of Women Development is providing baby child care training in all districts of Sindh as well as 18 towns in Karachi.  The monitoring of the project is carried out at high level.  The Minister, Women Development visited the training centre in Keamari Town on 29.09.2008 and Larkana on 30.09.2008 for reviewing the progress of training on the mentioned locations. 

The Director, Women Development, Mr. Ashfaque Ahmed Qadri visited Nawabshah training centre and reviewed the progress of the project.  The Director, Women Development also visited under construction Working Women Hostel to review the progress.   

updated 04-09-08

“Womenza” a mega event of women social, cultural and economic empowerment was inaugurated by honourable Minister, Women Development Sindh Ms. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto on August 29, 2008 at Expo Centre Karachi in collaboration with KNACK (Pvt) Ltd., Karachi.  In the address Minister, Women Development emphasized the need of women participation in the economic activities at local, provincial and national level.  She expressed that economic strengthening of the women is the key to over all empowerment of women in all spheres of life.

The Secretary, Women Development Department Mr. Gul Muhamamd Umrani addressing on the occasion gave an over view of the projects and services being undertaken currently by the Department.  The future projects to be commissioned by the department were also highlighted by the Secretary specially the project titled “Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme”, envisaged to provide human resource development of the youth of the province.

A seminar on Women Economic Empowerment was also held at the occasion presided by honourable Minister Law Sindh, Mr. Ayaz Soomro.  The speakers stressed the need of elimination of gender discrimination in the employment and allocation of economic resources.  It was also suggested that women quota in the employment be increased and equal opportunity be provided to the women for getting their appropriate share in the development sector. 

The exhibition was visited Dr. Fehmida Mirza, honourable Speaker National Assembly and Ms. Shazia Marri, honourable Minister Information Sindh.  These leading ladies of Sindh appreciated the commendable efforts of the Women Development Department and expressed that these exhibitions will definitely boost the social economic level of women of Sindh.  It was  further added that the direct participation by the producing women will maximize their profit, eliminating the middlemen who used to cater large share of profit.  The  honourable Minister, Women Development Sindh announced that these type of exhibitions will be held in other big cities of Sindh enabling participation of handicraft women all over province.         

The Women Development Department provided 20 stalls free of cost to women entrepreneurship from all over Sindh.

23-08-08The Minister, Women Development Sindh, Ms. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto has visited Karachi, Hyderabad and Larkana Women Jails on 13^th, 14^th  and 16^thAugust,2008, respectively, in connection with 61^st Independence Day Anniversary.  TheMinister distributed gifts to the women prisoners and their children as a gesture of goodwill and faith that the women prisoners would be a law abiding citizens of Pakistan after their exile period.

13-08-08

Baby Child Care Training in all the district headquarters of Sindh and 18 towns in Karachi.  The Minister, Women Development Sindh inaugurated the training at Keamari Town Karachi and district Larkana. The training will be imparted in all districts of Sindh.  The training has already been completed at district Jamshoro, Lyari town and Shah Faisal town district Karachi.

14th August celebrations.  The Minister, Women Development will celebrate the independence day with female prisoners at Karachi and Hyderabad on 13th and 14th August, 2008.  The Minister will visit the Karachi and Hyderabad jails and will distribute gifts to the female prisoners and their children.   The celebration will be attended by members of the civil society, media personnel and staff of the department.  Gifts will be distributed to the women prisoners and their children at  Sukkur and Larkana jails enabling women prisoners all over Sindh to celebrate Independence Day and remember to be a law abiding citizen in future.

UPDATED ON 4th AUGUST 2008

Mr. Ashfaque Ahmed Qadri, Director, Women Development nominated as Project

Director of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Program, Directorate of

Women Development Sindh, Karachi.

115^th Birth Day of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah was celebrated at Directorate of

Women Development Sindh on 31^st July, 2008.  Minister, Women Development   

Sindh inaugurated the celebration by cake cutting and addressing the audience.

 UPDATED ON 26TH JULY 2008

The Minister Women Development announced “WOMENZA”,  a mega event of culture learning and socio economic development for women in collaboration with Knack (Pvt) Ltd.  The main features of the event are :-

- The exhibition from 29^th to 31^st July, 2008 at EXPO Centre Karachi.

- Conference and seminar.

- Womenza Road Show.

 Schedule:

- Inaugural Session

   Friday, August 29^th 2008                          From 12.00 AM to 2.00 PM

-  Women Only Sessions:

Friday, August 29^th 2008                           From 4.00 PM to 10.00 PM

- Women & Their Families

Saturday, August 30^th 2008                      From 10.00 AM to 10.00 PM

Sunday, August 31^st 2008                 From 10.00 AM to 10.00 PM                    

The events include training seminar and conference, Marvel Women Blog, Women Excellence Award, Visionaries Avenue, Health Corner, Nutrition & Nourishment, Beauty & Fitness Junction, Home Tips, Gardening Guidance, Krazzy Kidz Mania, Food Street.

The Minister, Women Development chaired a meeting of Committee for Female/Juvenile Prisoners.  The meeting considered activities and progress of the committee.  The 46 cases of Juvenile under trial prisoners, whose bail has been granted for still in jail for want of surety money were considered and the committee was advised to make the arrangement of their release, as follows :-

Karachi Prison:                        40 prisoners     Surety amount Rs.1,640,000

Hyderabad Prison                   03 prisoners    Surety amount Rs.   150,000

Central Prison-1 Sukkur          02 prisoners     Surety amount Rs.     80,000

Central Prison-2 Sukkur          01 prisoner      Surety amount Rs.     50,000      

The Minister, Women Development Sindh advised the committee to ensure that no  female prisoner remained in jail for a single day for want of fine. 

 UPDATED ON 12TH JULY 2008

The Minister, Women Development Sindh continued interaction with the members of civil society and development agencies in districts.  She visited various Dehs and  Talukas of District Thatta for reviewing the development progress in the district by a  prominent women development NGO named Alestan Latif Social Welfare Organization, village Ranta and Daro. During her visit of hatta district she also held meetings with EDO Finance, EDO,   CDD and DO Social Welfare for reviewing the progress of implementation of GRAP          in the district.