A happy International Women’s Day to all readers and followers of The Diplomatic Insight! International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements of women, but also reminds us of all the obstacles in the way of full gender equality that remain 115 years after the first International Women’s Day was marked.
In my work in Pakistan, I feel inspired by many capable and resilient women who build and grow successful organizations, be it in business, government service or civil society. I have visited companies that perform better because they have higher than average women participation in the workforce and in their leadership. I have also visited some very impressive women-led companies.
Compared to my first two stays in Pakistan, I can see more women’s participation in entrepreneurship and public discourse. Still, Pakistan consistently holds places at the lower end of the gender gap ranking published by the World Economic Forum. My best wishes therefore go out to all, men and women, who work for more gender equality in education, health care, business, and politics in Pakistan.
Germany supports Pakistan’s efforts in this field. Women empowerment is mainstreamed into our entire development cooperation, but we also have some dedicated projects like microcredit schemes geared to women, a technical assistance project working directly with companies ready to increase their female workforce, and skills training activities aimed at encouraging more women to opt for STEM fields.
A lot remains to be done all over the world to achieve gender equality. The best results can be obtained by working together, sharing experiences and finding solutions that fit different societies’ cultural contexts. Let’s all join hands in solidarity for gender equality!
Courtesy by The Embassy of Germany in Pakistan
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
