ISLAMABAD:The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) is conducting a two-day event in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women, UNFPA and Jazz to create a national policy framework and launch the report on ‘Digitalisation and Women in Pakistan’.

The NCSW with its consortium partners, UNDP, UN-Women, UNFPA and Jazz produced a comprehensive report as a result of a rigorous countrywide consultative process, engaging public and private sectors, civil society, academia, media and think tanks.

The report was presented at the 67th session of the Global Commission on the Status of Women during March 8 celebrations in New York.

On the first day of the conference, provincial representatives of relevant government departments were invited to develop a National Policy Framework on the gender and the digital divide.

Representatives were present from the Women Development Department, the Social Welfare Department, Provincial Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), the information and technology department, planning and development department and the technical education department of all provinces of Pakistan.

On the second day of the conference, NCSW Chairperson Nilofer Bakhtiar said: “This national policy framework based on the digitalisation report helps us create a pathway forward to overcome the challenges highlighted in the report.”

Each province as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir presented their respective policy frameworks in light of the challenges faced by women related to digitalisation in Pakistan.

After the presentations, country representatives of UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA and CEO of Jazz Mobilink shared their remarks on the policies presented and ensured to work towards reducing the gender disparity in the country.

“Under representation of women in technology related fields and decision making positions is a glaring reality. UNDP Pakistan is firm in supporting NCSW’s mandate to promote gender equality and women empowerment,” said UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Samuel Rizk.

Jazz CEO, Aamir Ibrahim, said that technology holds the key to viable solutions for addressing inclusion gaps.He said, “The challenges we currently face with regard to gender gaps in financial inclusion have women’s digital exclusion to blame at the very core,”

Mr Ibrahim said, adding that technology has to be made accessible to Pakistani women as it is to men.“We also need to spread awareness about the internet and smartphones being powerful equalisers that remove barriers and open doors to equal opportunities,” he added.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2023