Islamabad: The Pakistan Poverty Eradication Foundation (PPAF) and the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) have entered into a strategic partnership, marking an important milestone in Pakistan’s journey towards gender equality and economic empowerment. This partnership represents a joint effort to harness the potential of women as catalysts for change. Signing of Letter of Intent (LOI) in Islamabad, PPAF CEO Nadir Gul Barech and NCSW Chairperson Mrs. Nilofar Baghtyar signed this important document. This event was attended by representatives of academics, media and civil society organizations.
Through this partnership, PPAF and NCSW will run a series of programs aimed at increasing the social and economic empowerment of women that protect their constitutional and fundamental human rights. These initiatives include advocacy efforts to promote gender equality policies in parliament, as well as inter-ministerial dialogue to overcome barriers to women’s economic participation. In addition, the two organizations jointly aim to promote the Dukhtaran E Pakistan initiative across the country. It was agreed that joint research initiatives with academic and research institutions will explore ways in which women can contribute to poverty reduction, economic development, digitization, participatory development and combating climate change.
PPAF CEO Nadir Gul Barech highlighted the transformative power of collective action in empowering women and creating a more just society. She expressed her deep hope for the partnership’s potential to catalyze real change, enrich the lives of women in Pakistan and develop equal opportunities and prospects to explore their hidden potential. Nadir Gul also said that since its inception, PPAF has been networking and partnering with civil society organizations, NGOs and working with international donors to serve the most marginalized communities in Pakistan. To date, PPAF has established 94,000 women’s NGOs to build leadership skills among community women and contribute to conflict resolution and peace building. To increase women’s economic empowerment and build sustainable livelihoods, the organization provides 128,400 productive assets, 125 equity grants to small and medium businesses, 1,738,000 interest-free loans and vocational/enterprise development training to 222,000 women.
President Nilofar Baghtiar praised the partnership as crucial to promoting gender equality in Pakistan, which is a prerequisite for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building a resilient and peaceful society. He said concerted efforts are essential to create an enabling environment for women to contribute to an economically stable Pakistan. He stressed the need to implement national and provincial policies on gender equality to ensure gender-responsive institutions that serve men and women according to their specific needs. Nilofar Bakhtiar said that this strategic partnership between PPAF and NCSW demonstrates Pakistan’s commitment to promote gender equality, empower women and support inclusive growth and development. A society that treats women equally promotes sustainable peace and prosperity, and NCSW and PPAF will work together.
