Empowering women - a key to societal transformation.

LAHORE -- Women's economic empowerment in any society is central to realizing their rights and enabling them to equally participate in businesses, setting up entrepreneur, control over productive resources and economic decision-making.

As the world changes from conventional to digital mode, imparting them training on the latest techniques can also have a trickledown effect on our younger generation making it healthier, more sensible and more productive for a secure future.

Acknowledged internationally this priority is at the heart of the policies of all important institutions including the World Bank as mentioned in its report 'Women, Business and the Law 2022.'

Presenting an index covering the potential of around 190 economies and structured around the life cycle of working women, the World Bank, in the overall count, has awarded Pakistan a 55.6 score out of 100. However, in terms of laws affecting women's decisions to work, Pakistan secures a perfect score of 100.

Therefore, respective provincial governments in the country are now focusing other areas to improve on the international score card with Punjab already taking number of steps for women empowerment.

'Punjab government took number of initiatives for legal and economic empowerment of women,' said former spokesperson for Punjab Government, Mussarat JamshaidCheema. 'Punjab Women Development Department had embarked on initiatives like women employment, entrepreneurship, decision-making, property ownership, education and vocational training.'

Since implementation of decision relates to government departments, therefore despite dissolution, the Women Development Department (WDD) is carrying forward the agenda of enhanced women participation in different arena of life.

'Women participation is imperative for nation building and prosperity of our country. Therefore, keeping aloof half of country's population from this process would be no service to nation,' she stated.

Women Development Department (WDD) of the Punjab government in recent years took number of initiatives to ensure adequate and considerable representation of women in the government service.

'Presently, 14 percent women are working in provincial government departments,' said an official at WDD. 'The government has also made it mandatory to ensure presence of at least one woman in selection committees in all departments.'

The Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) has also acknowledged that the provincial government...