Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the committee established by the Ministry of Planning to address the issues related to the harassment against women.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary of Planning and all female staff of the Ministry. While chairing the meeting, the Planning Minister emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety and security of every woman in the workplace.

He highlighted that upon assuming office, the government established a Gender Unit with the objective of increasing women’s participation in national development.

This initiative aims to create a workplace environment where women feel secure and confident in their roles, and to make the Ministry of Planning a model of safety for women.

Ahsan Iqbal further mentioned that a stateoftheart daycare facility has been established to provide peace of mind to working mothers, allowing them to focus on their work without concerns or worry for their children’s wellbeing.

He said no society can progress without the active involvement of 50% of its women, and that his utmost effort is to make the Ministry of Planning a role model for women’s empowerment.

He assured that there would be no discrimination against any woman in the Ministry. During the meeting, the female officers and staff of the Ministry of Planning also shared their thoughts and feedback with the Federal Minister.