,%20Azad%20Jammu%20and%20Kashmir%20(AJK),%20and%20Gilgit-Baltistan%20(GB)%20as%20part%20of%20a%20comprehensive%20Rs2.87%20billion%20initiative%20aimed%20at%20strengthening%20human%20rights%20and%20promoting%20women’s%20development.%20%20According%20to%20official%20documents,%20the%20proposal%20falls%20under%20the%20“Umbrella%20PC-I:%20Human%20Rights%20&%20Women%20Development%20Initiatives,”%20which%20includes%20several%20components%20designed%20to%20enhance%20institutional%20capacity,%20promote%20gender%20equality,%20and%20support%20the%20socio-economic%20empowerment%20of%20women%20across%20Pakistan.%20%20Daycare%20facilities%20to%20support%20working%20women%20%20A%20central%20component%20of%20the%20project%20is%20the%20creation%20of%20daycare%20centres%20with%20an%20estimated%20allocation%20of%20Rs570%20million.%20These%20facilities%20are%20intended%20to%20provide%20safe%20and%20reliable%20childcare%20services,%20particularly%20for%20women%20employed%20in%20public-sector%20institutions.%20The%20initiative%20is%20expected%20to%20facilitate%20greater%20female%20participation%20in%20the%20workforce%20by%20addressing%20one%20of%20the%20key%20barriers%20faced%20by%20working%20mothers.%20%20The%20documents%20indicate%20that%20this%20component%20received%20approval%20from%20the%20Departmental%20Development%20Working%20Party%20(DDWP)%20in%20April%202025,%20paving%20the%20way%20for%20its%20implementation%20once%20the%20overall%20project%20secures%20final%20approval.%20%20Federal%20Institute%20of%20Human%20Rights%20%20Another%20major%20feature%20of%20the%20umbrella%20project%20is%20the%20establishment%20of%20the%20Federal%20Institute%20of%20Human%20Rights%20(FIHR),%20with%20an%20estimated%20allocation%20of%20Rs1.5%20billion.%20The%20institute%20is%20envisioned%20as%20a%20national%20platform%20for%20research,%20training,%20and%20policy%20development%20in%20the%20human%20rights%20sector.%20It%20will%20organize%20training%20programmes,%20seminars,%20and%20conferences%20while%20supporting%20evidence-based%20policymaking%20and%20strengthening%20institutional%20coordination.%20%20Gender%20equality%20and%20women%20empowerment%20initiatives%20%20The%20project%20also%20includes%20a%20Gender%20Equality%20and%20Women%20Empowerment%20Programme,%20with%20an%20estimated%20budget%20of%20Rs800%20million.%20This%20component%20aims%20to%20raise%20awareness%20about%20women’s%20rights,%20strengthen%20gender-responsive%20policies,%20and%20enhance%20institutional%20mechanisms%20for%20the%20protection%20and%20empowerment%20of%20women.%20It%20also%20seeks%20to%20promote%20community-level%20engagement%20on%20gender-related%20issues.%20%20Strengthening%20Pakistan’s%20human%20rights%20framework%20%20Officials%20believe%20that,%20once%20approved,%20the%20initiative%20will%20significantly%20strengthen%20Pakistan’s%20human%20rights%20framework%20while%20addressing%20structural%20challenges%20faced%20by%20women.%20Practical%20interventions%20such%20as%20accessible%20childcare%20facilities%20are%20expected%20to%20support%20working%20mothers,%20enhance%20economic%20participation,%20and%20contribute%20to%20inclusive%20and%20sustainable%20development.%20%20The%20proposed%20project%20reflects%20the%20government’s%20commitment%20to%20advancing%20gender%20equality%20and%20reinforcing%20institutional%20mechanisms%20for%20the%20protection%20of%20human%20rights%20across%20the%20country. "Daycare centres proposed in ICT, AJK and GB under Rs2.8 billion human rights project")
ISLAMABAD, April 13: The Ministry of Human Rights has proposed the establishment of daycare centres in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as part of a comprehensive Rs2.87 billion initiative aimed at strengthening human rights and promoting women’s development.
According to official documents, the proposal falls under the “Umbrella PC-I: Human Rights & Women Development Initiatives,” which includes several components designed to enhance institutional capacity, promote gender equality, and support the socio-economic empowerment of women across Pakistan.
Daycare facilities to support working women
A central component of the project is the creation of daycare centres with an estimated allocation of Rs570 million. These facilities are intended to provide safe and reliable childcare services, particularly for women employed in public-sector institutions. The initiative is expected to facilitate greater female participation in the workforce by addressing one of the key barriers faced by working mothers.
The documents indicate that this component received approval from the Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) in April 2025, paving the way for its implementation once the overall project secures final approval.
Federal Institute of Human Rights
Another major feature of the umbrella project is the establishment of the Federal Institute of Human Rights (FIHR), with an estimated allocation of Rs1.5 billion. The institute is envisioned as a national platform for research, training, and policy development in the human rights sector. It will organize training programmes, seminars, and conferences while supporting evidence-based policymaking and strengthening institutional coordination.
Gender equality and women empowerment initiatives
The project also includes a Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Programme, with an estimated budget of Rs800 million. This component aims to raise awareness about women’s rights, strengthen gender-responsive policies, and enhance institutional mechanisms for the protection and empowerment of women. It also seeks to promote community-level engagement on gender-related issues.
Strengthening Pakistan’s human rights framework
Officials believe that, once approved, the initiative will significantly strengthen Pakistan’s human rights framework while addressing structural challenges faced by women. Practical interventions such as accessible childcare facilities are expected to support working mothers, enhance economic participation, and contribute to inclusive and sustainable development.
The proposed project reflects the government’s commitment to advancing gender equality and reinforcing institutional mechanisms for the protection of human rights across the country.
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