USAID Supports KP Assembly Resolutions Empowering Women Empancipation

(@FahadShabbir)

USAID supports KP assembly resolutions empowering women empancipation

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and a local NGO 'Pak Women' supported the Women Parliamentary Caucus of KP for the passage of the three landmark resolutions from the KP legislature that will facilitate and empower women while providing them broader opportunities to earn a living

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Feb, 2018 ) :The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and a local NGO 'Pak Women' supported the Women Parliamentary Caucus of KP for the passage of the three landmark resolutions from the KP legislature that will facilitate and empower women while providing them broader opportunities to earn a living.

A spokesman for the USAID in a statement said that after the Assembly's approval, letters of Instructions have been issued to the Social Welfare and Women Development Department, the Agriculture, Livestock and Dairy Department, and the Health Department for the implementation of these Resolutions within two months.

Meraj Humayun, Member Provincial Assembly and Chairperson of the Women Parliamentary Caucus commenting on the passage of the resolutions said that, "These resolutions are a precursor to legislation.

They will bring long standing issues into immediate focus. The resolutions will open the way for improvements in the overall environment if the departments are made more gender sensitive and supportive to female issues." The successful passage and unanimous political support for these critical resolutions will bring the province into alignment with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a step closer to making Sustainable Development Goal on Gender Equality, a reality.

Amna Sardar, Member Provincial Assembly and Member of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, termed these resolutions as a giant leap in the direction of emancipation of women.

"Without USAID support, these would not have seen the light of day.

These resolutions will definitely enhance and affect women participation in other departments, too," Sardar said. Azra Gul, the CEO of Pak Women, praised USAID's support and said "KP's economy is dependent 70% on agriculture for its revenue and contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product/ per capita income, so increased participation of women in the agriculture sector will greatly contribute to the country's GDP." Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governance Project is part of a broader initiative through which USAID is implementing a provincial governance reform agenda with the objective of improving the efficiency of local government so it can deliver quality public services to the citizens of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The three Resolutions passed by the KP Assembly are 'Inclusion of subjects/ skills like Commerce, Science, Technology and IT etc. for development/ mainstreaming of Women', 'Increase of Women Job quota from 10 to 15% to provide jobs to women and make them economically independent and 'Declaration of Maternal Deaths is Notifiable', were drafted in August 2017 through the USAID-funded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governance (KPG) Project.