BADIN  -  Rural women were playing vital role in the development of Pakistan but still facing poverty, unemployment and lots of other hurdles, need to appreciate and recognise their efforts.

These views were expressed by Syeda Shehla Raza, Provincial Minister for Women Development, while addressing a ceremony at Badin Gymkhana Club, organised by the Women Development Department Sindh on Monday amid to mark the International Rural Women Day.

While addressing the ceremony, she expressed that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government was striving hard to improve status of women of rural areas of Sindh and for such initiative women were allotted lands and they were empowered by the PPP government for their better livelihood. She observed that many families of rural areas made marriages of their girls in early ages because of the poverty, adding that women were being murdered on the name of honour but there were many other reasons ensue behind their murders like distress of ownership of their properties.

She maintained that the Sindh government was working continued for legal protection to the rural women, adding that the government also preparing different schemes for empowerment and welfare of rural women and for that purpose it reserved Rs4 billion.

She added that in different districts the government has already initiated some schemes for development and empowerment of the women. She said that small loans were being introduced for rural women for the betterment of their economic condition.

The minister said that the government was much interested to empower and facilitated rural women and paying special attention for the development and empowerment of the rural women as this was vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, adding that she wish to see all rural girls in their schools for education.

She termed education of the girls as essential for the development of the country and province as well.

Shehla said that women were being financially assisted of Benazir Income Support Programme, adding that their conditions were approaching towards change and betterment. She said that the government was establishing complain centres to assist and support those feeble, deprived and helpless women to resolve their issues and justify them.

Dr Khalida Sikander Mandhro, Musrat Jabeen, Director, Women Development Department, Nuzhat Shaheen, Chairperson, Women Commission, Nahid Abro, Asif Jan Siddiqui, Deputy Commissioner Badin, Hassan Sardar Niazi, SSP, Badin, Keenjhar Memon, Information Officer, Badin and others were also present.

SAWAN KHASKHELI