Islamabad: In most households in Pakistan, girls are considered a liability — unable to contribute financially to their families — and regarded as a “burden” on male family members.
This is in part because employment for women is still not the norm.
In the country, only a small number of women are employed and today constitute only around six per cent of Pakistan’s labour force, according to official figures.
An unusual programme started by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan, a part of the international Aga Khan Development Network, has endeavoured to turn this reality around.
The organisation has trained around 70 women, some from remote rural areas, to work in non-traditional areas which include drafting, surveying, carpentry, landscape design and documentation. As a result, women now earn an income and have also gained confidence and self-esteem.
Ismailimail 