Women Development Department (WDD) organized a consultative session titled 'Economic Empowerment of Women Through Microfinancing in Punjab' on April 17th, 2024, chaired by the Secretary of WDD, with participation from various government departments and private sectors. The purpose of the session was to analyze the current situation of microfinancing for women in Punjab and explore the barriers faced by illiterate women entrepreneurs in accessing microfinance. In the conclusion of the session, participants explore into innovative approaches and best practices in microfinancing. They also formulated actionable strategies to enhance the effectiveness of microfinance programs for women in Punjab

Today, a crucial meeting was convened at the Women Development Department (WDD) Gulberg office under the esteemed chairpersonship of Ms. Sumaira Samad, Secretary of WDD. The discussion centered on devising strategic measures to protect women and girls from falling victim to drug addiction.

In attendance were Hafiz Ubaidullah Zakria, Deputy Secretary, and Ms. Maria Javed from WDD, along with representatives Syed Mohsin and Syed Zulfqar from the Drug Advisory Training Hub (DATH). During the meeting, the Program Officer from DATH provided insights into various forms of addiction and shared alarming statistics regarding addicted women and girls in Punjab.

Expressing profound concern, Secretary WDD, Ms. Sumaira Samad, underscored the urgent need for concerted efforts to address this pressing issue. She directed DATH to formulate a comprehensive plan in collaboration with the WDD team to disseminate information about drugs and treatments available for addicted women and girls.

Furthermore, Secretary WDD expressed a keen interest in organizing regular sessions at public sector universities where WDD's Women Development Centers are established, as well as in Working Women Hostels across Punjab. These sessions aim to raise awareness about the dangers of drug addiction and provide support and guidance to vulnerable women and girls.

The Women Development Department, Punjab, remains committed to safeguarding the well-being of women and girls across the province and will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to combat the menace of drug addiction effectively