PROGRESS  TO DATE  AT A  GLANCE  

STRENGTHENING OF WOMEN STUDY CENTRES 

The Minister, Women Development Sindh realizing the importance of research and development for women studies, granted financial aid of Rs.5.00 lacs each to the Women Studies Centre, University Karachi and Sindh University Jamshoro.  The aid was awarded from the project Gender Reforms Action Plan Sindh.

 LIAISON WITH NGOs AND LINE DEPARTMENTS 

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

 BENAZIR BHUTTO SHAHEED YOUTH  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INAUGURATED

 The Government of Sindh has launched a Youth Development program titled Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Program.  The program envisaged to provide human resource development in the province.   The program will provide skill development to approximately one lac semi literate and educated unemployed youth in the Sindh.  The training will be provided in various fields/vocations for a period of three months to one year.   

The Women Development Department being the partner of the program has taken initiative and immediately project office has been set up at Directorate of Women Development on 3^rd July, 2008.  The PC-1 of the project has been vetted by the technical committee and presented to Planning & Development Department for approval.

 The training will be imparted in the field of :-

 a)                  Women Entrepreneurship        

b)                  Beautician

c)                  Secretarial Management

d)                 Master Trainers Baby Child Care 

Diploma will be awarded on completion of training of a, b, c above and certificate for d.   

The training arrangements are being finalized with SMEDA, PIM, SZEBIS, IBA, Labour Department and other certified institutes.

RELEASE OF WOMEN PRISONERS

 The Minister, Women Development chaired a meeting of committee female juvenile prisoners, wherein cases of 46 women prisoners were considered, whose bail has been granted but these are still in jail for want of surety money.  The committee approved release of surety money 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 progress of the committee was also considered and Minister, Women Development Sindh advised the committee to ensure that no female prisoner be remained in jail for a single day for want of fine or surety money.

 COMPLETION OF BABY CHILD CARE TRAINING

The baby child care training will be imparted in 22 district headquarters of Sindh and 18 towns in Karachi.  The first batch of students successfully completed training at district Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Shah Faisal and Lyari Towns, Karachi.

 CELEBRATION OF 115^TH BIRTH DAY OF MOHTARMA FATIMA JINNAH

 The 115^th birth day of Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah was celebrated at the Directorate of Women Development on 31^st July, 2008.  The Minister, Women Development Sindh inaugurated the celebration by cutting the birth day cake and reiterated the commitment of women empowerment the dream of Mohtarma Fatimas Jinnah and father of the National Qauid-e-Azam Muhamamd Ali Jinnah.  The Minister, Women Development Sindh asked the members of the civil society to join their hands on common plate form for elimination of gender discrimination and women empowering.

APPOINTMENT OF STAFF IN WOMEN DEVELOPMENT DEVLOPMENT, DIRECTORATE AND ITS PROEJCTS.  

On the directives of the honourable Chief Minister Sindh the process of appointments on the vacant posts in the department has been initiated.  The advertisement has been published in the news papers for inviting the applications from the candidates.  The last date of submission of applications was 31^st July, 2008.  The applications received are being sorted out and interviews and appointment will be started shortly after fulfillment of formalities, rules and regulations.

  SOCIO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

 The Minister, Women Development Sindh 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.

 The event includes 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

Administrative action/Establishment 

n  “Establishment  of “Women Complaint Centre” at Larkana on14th May 2008 on the personal initiative of  Honourable Minister for Women Development Sindh as at present facilities for providing legal aid and legal assistance for women are not available in the District .

 n  Monitoring/ sustaining of the performance   of Baby Child Care training courses at Hyderabad and Jamshoro currently underway. The tarainees have been paid stipend for the last two months by the Hon. Minister during the recent Women Cultural/Educational Mela at Hyderabad.                                                                       

 n Submission of Summaries

Summary to C.M Sindh for lifting of  of ban of appointment in the Women Development Department and its approval by the worthy Chief Minister Sindh.

  n  Benazir Youth Development Programme in the Women Development Department.

 n  Women Development Complex at Division Level.

 n  Advocacy  for Women in Sindh

 n  Sindh Women Economic Empowerment Project (SWEEP).

 n  International Women Labour Day symposia  3rd May 2008 at Sukkur.

n  Violence against Women  Seminar held on 14-5-2008 at Larkana.

n  The International conference on women Leadership, & Enterprises ship as organized by Women Development Department and triple –E , supported by Karachi Chamber of Commerce.  A public private partnership grand venture.   The Conference attended by Ms. Sherry Rehman Minister for Information & Broadcast , Health and Women Development ,Ms Shala Raza,   Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly, Minister Women Development Government of Boluchistan on the concluding day of the conference.

n  Shaheed Muhtarama Benazir Bhutto Award was received by Madam Faryal Talpur MNA, Larkana in recognition of Shaheed Prim Minister historic endeavors for Women Empowerment and gender maintenance and achievement  

Visit of Women Jails

ü  Sukkur :Women barracks                                                       

ü Visit of Darul Aman

ü  Sukkur

ü  Larkana

ü  Larkana: Special Prison      for Women and juvenile

ü  Karachi Prison   for Women and juvenile

  Meeting with DCOs

n  Their Station Head quarters.

Ø  Larkana.

Ø  Nawabshah.

Ø  Shikarpur.

Ø  Jamshroo

Ø  Hyderabad                                         

Meeting with NGO’s.

Ø  Larkana

Ø  Shikarpur

Ø  Hyderabad

Ø  Karachi

Ø  Khamber at Shahdadkort

Ø  Kashmore at Kandh Kot

Ø   

  OPEN  KACHAHERIES

n  Jehangeer Road No.1 29-4-2008

n  Naudero                                  04-5-2008

n  Shahdad Kot.                          04-5-2008

n  Shikarpur.                                05-5-2008

n  Kamber                                   15-5-2008

n  Dokri.                                      16-5-2008

n  Kashmore.                               16-5-2008

ISSUE OF WORKING WOMEN HOSTEL BUILDING AT LARKANA

 n  A building of  Working Women Hostel building at Larkana was constructed by Ministry of Women Development Government of Pakistan, Islamabad, during 1989. The Ministry of Women Development Government of Pakistan, has requested  the Women Development to take over  the possession of the  building from District Administration and utilize it for development of women of Larkana, as per its objectives.

n  At present the building is lying vacant in the administrative control of District Administration.

n  The District Administration may be requested to handover the building Women Development Department so, that it would be utilized for various projects of Women Development Department i.e. Women Centre, Women Complex, Women Complaint Centre, Office of the Women Development Department, at Larkana.

 JUSTIFICATION FOR  EXPANSION OF THE DEPARTMENTAL

 SETUP/ INFRASTRUCTURE 

 n  Keeping in view the national and international commitments, rules of business of the Department and  observations of the Honourable Minister  during her  field visits  , the Women Development Directorate  needs  to be upgraded and its offices are required to be established at  District level  on permanent  basis.

n  Women Development is a vast and specialized  field, it requires  to make  horizontal and vertical linkages and undertake  coordination and  collaboration  with the Provincial line Departments, District Government, NGOs, community and civil society, organizations down to  the grass root level to meet its targets and achieve goals of women empowerment  and gender mainstreaming .

 n  The proposed Directorate General and its  District Field Offices in coordination and collaboration with District  Governments , NGOs and Civil Society would  play  a vital role of a catalyst, lobbyist and influencer for achieving the targets.

PROPOSED SET UP DIRECTORATE GENERAL  WOMEN DEVELOPMENT SINDH

Accounts Officers ,Assistant Accounts officers Stenographer, Steno Typist, Assistant,, UDC,

Storekeeper,, Drivers Naib Qasid howkidar,s Sweepers/Mali

 PROBLEMS / ISSUES

 Ø  Women Development Department is  facing  chronic problem of shortage of    space/Office accommodation.   In the  Secretariat side only six rooms are allocated for   Secretary, Additional secretary, Deputy secretary , 5  Section Officers and other   staff      members, which are over crowded and cramped.

  Ø  The Directorate of Women Development is housed in a rented building at Shah-e-Fasial, where the    field offices  along with a large  staff supervising seven  ADP schemes are housed.   Due to lack of  proper sitting accommodation , the working of     Directorate is  badly  affected                 

  Shortage of Staff

 Ø  Due to partial  ban on  recruitments the required staff in the Secretariat, Directorate &in various projects, work load on the existing staff has tremendously increased and the quality of work has also suffered.

Ø  Recent kind permission by the Honourable Chief Minister Sindh, to relax ban on recruitment of staff from BS 1 to 9 will  partially meet the above requirement. However the vacancies of BS 10 to 18 need to be filled in at the earliest for which a summary is being moved to the Hon. Chief Minister.

 RECOMMENDATIONS /FUTURE   INTERVENTIONS  PROPOSED

 §  It may be ensured that all the departments and Sindh Public Service Commission should reserved 20% Quota for Women, beside the seats on  merit.

§  As decided in the cabinet meeting held on 6-6-2008, 30%  Zakat & Batul Mal funds should be allocated for  the deserving destitute (Mustaqueen) women on the recommendation of the Women Development Department Sindh, Karachi. 

§  Block allocation amounting to Rs. 1000 million may be reserved for the department  to initiate development projects and to provide relief to poor needy women

 §  The proposal for allocation of ground Floor of the Sindh Secretariat No.6 to the Women Development Department was submitted to SGA&CD. Necessary approval is requested .

§  Appropriate  timely release of  Endowment fund by the Finance Department  for micro credit for  rural Women is requested.   

RECOMMENDATIONS /FUTURE   INTERVENTIONS  PROPOSED

 n  Micro -entrepreneur skill  development training  at District level for proper           utilization   and  disbursement of Endowment fund to the  trained women be ordered in coordination with Planning and Development and Zaibist University .

n  Continuation and expansion  of Women and Juvenile prisoners fund  facilities  would continue for realization of the vision  propounded  by Shaheed Mohtarma Banazir Shahiba  for the down trodden   women of Pakistan.

n  Innovation and sustainability of  ADP Schemes  in accordance with the aims    and    objectives of women empowerment and gender mainstreaming policies of Peoples  government.

 RECOMMENDATIONS /FUTURE   INTERVENTIONS  PROPOSED

 §  Continuous updating  of the website of Women Development Department .

§  Persistent dialogue and enhancement of linkages and coordination with NGOs   and  Institutions for women empowerment.

 §  Allocation of  funds for acquisition & construction  of building for  Working Women  Hostel   at Karachi and all other districts of Province.

§  Grant of  Honoraria(  two basic Pays  ) to the officers  and officials  of Women Development    Department and   Directorate of Women Development to encourage the   exiting staff,  as already provided in the Finance and     Planning and  Development Department.