Govt to establish Women Bazar at Quetta
ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (APP):The provincial government had planned to set up first ever women Bazar at Quetta to create business opportunities for women so that they could sell their handmade products.
The market would also provide employment opportunities to unemployment women of the area, a representative of Balochistan government told APP on Thursday. Balochistan government was being formulated a comprehensive programme to empower women in political, economic and decision making process.
Balochistan government has allocated Rs 1.872 billion to initiate various projects to empower and facilitate women to enable them to play their role for the development of the province.
The government would be also initiate the construction of Women Business Incubation Centre at Quetta with aims to support women to set up their businesses, enhance their entrepreneurship skills and overcome the challenges they are facing in the market.
Under that programme, Rs 600 million has been earmarked to build hostels at each divisional headquarter of the province to provide safe residence for working women, he informed. He said that women participation in all sectors was necessary for progress of the country. The present government was trying its best to assist the down trodden of the society, he said.
He said “we have strong manifesto on women empowerment to have maximum job quota”. There is dire need to upgrade the status of women in society and it is only possible through giving them equal access towards resources,” he added.
He said encouragement of small to medium companies and young entrepreneurs is necessary to set up their businesses in Balochistan.
The next plan of action includes developing a programme to provide women with an advanced set of skills supporting their business ideas and help materialize them into successful start-ups, and as a result to contribute to the local economy.
The training would also engage existing entrepreneurs to strengthen entrepreneurial skills in existing owners of small to medium businesses. He said the young entrepreneurs will be facilitating different fields including mineral, agriculture, handicraft, fisheries and livestock.
The government has taken initiatives to encourage more women entrepreneurs to participate in this business activity. The training sessions, he said will help youth creating space in the current cut-throat business environment.
He said the construction of four youth hostels two in Ziarat and two in Gwadar with a cost of Rs 240 was also the part of this plan.
He said “we have strong manifesto on women empowerment to have maximum job quota”. There is dire need to upgrade the status of women in society and it is only possible through giving them equal access towards resources,” he added.
He the government was taking steps to introduce women endowment fund in Balochistan soon to empower them financially and make them self sufficient. The government has expedited the development work of women directorate in Quetta, the sources said adding that as a nation we could not succeed unless we empowered women.
Effective legislation was being enacted to empower women and the inheritance bill has already been passed to give share to women in inheritance, he added. He said that the government would build women hostels in the province and establishment of Baby Care Centres was also under consideration.
He said it was quite evident that economic and social initiatives had helped in improving progress for eliminating gender disparity. “No country can be developed without empowering its women,” he added.
