ISLAMABAD: The Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming, led by Chairperson Dr. Nafisa Shah, MNA, has urged the Federal Government to prioritize the establishment of Working Women Hostels in Islamabad to meet the growing accommodation needs of working women. The Committee emphasized the importance of this initiative as part of the Prime Minister’s Women Empowerment Package, which seeks to enhance women’s workforce participation by providing secure and accessible living arrangements.
According to National Assembly of Pakistan, the Committee met at the Staff Welfare Organization’s Community Centre in Islamabad, where members received a briefing from the Director General of the Staff Welfare Organization. The briefing highlighted the organization’s commitment to promoting the welfare of federal employees, focusing on women’s empowerment and family well-being. The organization oversees various welfare programs, including Working Women Hostels, day care centers, and vocational training facilities.
The Committee reviewed the broad spectrum of welfare services provided and was informed of ongoing efforts to upgrade and expand these services, particularly under the Women Empowerment Package. The briefing also detailed challenges such as increasing demand for hostels, infrastructure issues, and financial constraints, which require immediate policy attention and investment.
Dr. Nafisa Shah stressed the necessity of providing safe and dignified accommodation and reliable childcare facilities to support women’s workforce participation. The Committee noted the gap between demand and existing capacity and called for urgent measures to address these issues. Members also conducted inspections of welfare facilities, obtaining feedback from residents on service quality and infrastructure.
The Committee recommended that the Establishment Division implement a modernization plan for all Working Women Hostels and Day Care Centres, emphasizing safety, accessibility, and quality improvements. It also called for increased financial and human resources to support these initiatives and directed the Staff Welfare Organization to establish robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
In closing, Dr. Shah reaffirmed the Committee’s dedication to ensuring responsive and accountable welfare services and committed to monitoring the implementation of its recommendations to support working women in the public sector. The meeting included several parliamentary representatives and senior officers from relevant governmental bodies.