Success of the nations is linked to women empowerment : Rauf Alam

Lahore : The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Thursday said resilience and success of nations is linked to women empowerment.

Pakistan has taken a number of laudable steps to empower women but a lot is yet to be done, said Abdul Rauf Alam, President FPCCI.

This he said while speaking to a meeting of Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI), founder president of IWCCI Samina Fazil, VP FPCCI Zafar Bakhtawari, Chairman Coordination FPCCI Malik Sohail and others were also present on the occasion.

Abdul Rauf Alam said that families are healthier, educated and balanced while productivity improves and incomes increase when women are given authority, he added.

The President of FPCCI said that empowering women is key to change and essential to achieving the objective of poverty eradication which can be achieved when gender gap is reduced and common practices of systematic discrimination to women are abandoned.

He said women plays vital role in development of households, society, and the country but their role has always been underestimated despite the fact that empowered women can guarantee uniform development of the country.

He said that women are gifted with unique talents which are being underutilised at every level as delivery of national goals cannot be achieved unless growth of women is focused.

Lauding the role of IWCCI and its founder president Samina Fazil, he said that FPCCI will extend all out cooperation in promoting their cause and especially promote their exhibitions which provide opportunities, help expand relations while boosting the role and confidence of women entrepreneurs.

He called upon the business women to focus on introducing brands to get their skills recognised in this challenging environment, he said adding that investing in underserved women’s health and education is good economics.

At the occasion Samina Fazil said that the topic of women empowerment has become a burning issue all over the world but little has been done for equality of women with men.

Women are equally competent but improving their social, economic, political and legal strength of the women remains a far cry, she said.