United Nations (UN) Women has established itself as a prominent catalyst for substantial change on a worldwide level, propelled by its steadfast dedication to advancing gender parity and women representation across all regions. The central aim of UN Women Pakistan is to actively pursue the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women is currently undertaking initiatives to facilitate the meaningful participation of women in the social and economic advancement within the respective countries, Pakistan being no exception. 

The developmental differences between urban and rural areas in Pakistan are characterized by significant social and economic ramifications. The existing disparities in economic advancement and impoverishment carry substantial consequences for the formulation of strategies and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Pakistan. This agenda places great emphasis on gender equality and the empowerment of women as a fundamental pillar. 
The Pakistani society exhibits a significant degree of patriarchy, resulting in prevalent gender-based disparities across various domains such as health, education, income opportunities, employment opportunities, personal security, control over assets, and political participation between women and men. Women residing in rural areas encounter distinct obstacles when it comes to accessing economic opportunities. These challenges stem from their limited authority in decision-making processes, the burden of household care responsibilities, and their restricted access to resources.
UN Women Pakistan is working towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encapsulates gender equality and women’s empowerment as a key pillar. The organization has also partnered with the Government of Pakistan to strengthen oversight, implementation, reporting, and compliance with international obligations on gender equality. UN Women Pakistan provides technical assistance to the Ministry of Human Rights in developing and implementing initiatives on women empowerment. UN Women’s advocacy efforts have also led to a better understanding of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in Pakistan, especially amongst the public, private and NGO sectors. Additionally, the Pakistan Vision 2025, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027 for Pakistan, also prioritizes basic rights and gender equality as central tenants of the country’s development agenda, focusing on the need for gender-responsive planning, engagement of vulnerable and marginalized groups, etc. 
The work of UN Women Pakistan is indispensable in the promotion of gender equality and development. Its work extends beyond conventional boundaries, impacting the lives of women and girls in urban and rural settings. Through the establishment of collaborative relationships with both governmental and non-governmental partners, UN Women plays a pivotal role in initiating and driving transformative processes within Pakistan. Some of the efforts being undertaken to promote women’s empowerment are given below. 
Recognizing Challenges
UN Women Pakistan recognizes and actively engages with the relevant stakeholders in order to counter challenges that impede progress toward gender equality and women empowerment in Pakistan. These challenges encompass socio-cultural norms, economic disparities, and institutional barriers that are adversely affecting urban and rural communities.

Inclusive Strategies 
The organization actively develops and implements inclusive strategies to bridge the urban-rural development gap. These strategies range from capacity-building and skill development programs to advocacy for policy reforms that ensure gender-responsive urban and rural development.
Empowering Women
A central theme in UN Women Pakistan’s efforts is empowering women and girls in urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Empowerment includes access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and participation in decision-making processes.

Future Directions
UN Women Pakistan’s approach includes a commitment to exploring innovative solutions and collaborations that will further narrow the development gap. These future directions prioritize sustainable development, resilience-building, and gender mainstreaming.
Empowering Cities: UN Women’s Urban Initiatives
UN Women Pakistan has implemented several programs and projects in urban areas of Pakistan to promote women’s economic empowerment, political participation and leadership, education and skills development. In terms of economic empowerment, UN Women Pakistan creates an enabling environment where women can benefit from decent work in a harassment-free workplace and become active contributors to economic and social development of Pakistan. 
The success story of UN Women Pakistan initiatives is the story of Razia Sultana, a self-made business owner who started Spiza Sports Company in Sialkot city of the Punjab province. In 2017, Sultana attended a training organized by UN Women Pakistan and funded by Proctor & Gamble, called Stimulating Equal Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs, where she learned about garment-making, online marketing, and the use of social media for taking orders. Sultana has transformed the lives of 200-250 women and has helped many other women workers in Pakistan.
A notable achievement is the publication titled “Young Women in Pakistan Status Report 2023,” which was released by UN Women Pakistan in partnership with the National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan. The research for this report was conducted with technical assistance from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Pakistan and the Centre of Gender and Policy Studies (CGPS). The report pertaining to young women in Pakistan endeavors to tackle pertinent concerns by means of defining the specific requirements, areas of focus, and highlighted the necessary measures needed for the empowerment of young women.
UN Women Pakistan has established a partnership with Nishat Mills Limited in order to advance gender equality and enhance the safety of workplaces for women. UN Women Pakistan has also emphasized the significance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in promoting women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan.
In collaboration with Punjab’s Women Development Department (WDD) and Aurat Foundation (AF), UN Women Pakistan has undertaken a joint initiative named ‘Women’s Safety Audit’ in Lahore City. This initiative aims to evaluate the safety issues faced by women and girls who utilize public transit in Lahore along with the assistance of the Government of Australia.
The collaboration between the Government of Punjab’s Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit (Law and Order Wing), the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, Punjab’s Women Development Department, and UN Women Pakistan facilitated the adaptation and pilot implementation of UN Women’s Safe City model in Pakistan. This initiative involved the participation of various national and international experts.
UN Women is also partnering with the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to enhance the capacity of government institutions in understanding the gendered aspects of violent extremism. Additionally, this collaboration aims to foster peace and tolerance among women and youth by utilizing alternative platforms such as sports, dialogues, art, and more. NACTA is the focal institute of the Government of Pakistan that aims to address the growing issue of extremism through policy initiatives and by actively engaging youth and women.
UN Women, in collaboration with Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited (Jazz), is working together to improve digital literacy, enhance women’s financial literacy, promote financial inclusion, and support business development. The goal is to empower 10,000 women micro-entrepreneurs by 2024. This will be achieved through providing training in digital and financial literacy, as well as access to digital wallet solutions.
UN Women has recently entered into a partnership with the Soni Jawari Public Policy Centre (SJPPC), which is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The purpose of this collaboration is to offer technical assistance to SJPPC in order to incorporate gender perspectives into development policies and plans of the Government of Gilgit Baltistan. The focus will be on promoting women’s empowerment. Additionally, the partnership aims to establish a “Data Hub” that will facilitate the creation of development policies based on solid evidence. Furthermore, joint initiatives will be undertaken in various areas, such as women’s economic empowerment, addressing violence against women, enhancing women’s political participation, and fostering social cohesion.
Rural Revolution: UN Women’s Initiatives
UN Women Pakistan has successfully implemented various initiatives that specifically target rural development and empowerment of women in Pakistan. UN Women Pakistan works to empower women at the community level, helping them enhance their employability and improve their livelihoods. In addition, UN Women Pakistan has made efforts to improve human capital in rural areas through the provision of vocational training centers, where individuals can acquire valuable skills.
Kamla Bheel, a woman from Tharparkar, has broken barriers by becoming the first female District Vice Chairperson in local governance. Despite societal norms that often marginalize women, Kamla persevered through resistance from her family and community. UN Women has taken a proactive stance in Pakistan to promote women’s political involvement and leadership by providing them with the necessary resources. The goal is to empower women like Kamla and enable them to make a difference in their communities.
Tabbasum Adnan, the esteemed founder of the First All-Women Council of Tribal Leaders in Pakistan, has been duly acknowledged by UN Women Pakistan. Tabassum Adnan, a resident of the Swat district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is recognized as the pioneer behind the establishment of Pakistan’s first women jirga. She is actively engaged in efforts to combat practices such as honor killings, acid attacks, and domestic violence. In 2015, she was honored with the International Women of Courage Award by the US State Department.
Sumera Mehboob serves as the founder and director of the Mechanism for Rational Change (MRC), a non-governmental organization located in Balochistan. The MRC endeavors to promote the empowerment of girls through the provision of education pertaining to their rights and strategies for safeguarding themselves against acts of violence and other forms of abuse. In her capacity as a humanitarian worker, she actively engaged in a leadership training program specifically designed for women operating within the humanitarian sector. This training initiative was jointly organized by UN Women and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies.
In collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, UN Women Pakistan has been offering comprehensive assistance to home-based workers in rural areas of Pakistan, including individuals engaged in chik-making (bamboo blinds), football production, quilt-making, and handicraft creation. This initiative has facilitated the empowerment of women residing in rural areas by providing them with economic opportunities and fostering their skills development.
UN Women recently completed a week-long program entitled ‘Digital Empowerment of Women and Girls in Chitral’.  The program delineated an innovative approach for the harnessing digital capabilities in order to have a constructive impact on the welfare of women and girls residing in Chitral.
The advancement of UN Women Pakistan influence can be achieved through the strategic utilization of partnerships that have the potential to reinforce objectives of promoting gender equality and empowering women. The imperative nature of implementing gender-responsive plans, policies, and governance systems lies in the crucial need for institutions to enhance accessibility and ensure equitable outcomes for women. 
The pursuit of sustainable development in Pakistan with a specific focus on women empowerment presents a complex challenge that necessitates careful deliberation. It is pertinent to bear in mind that the potential for change exists when individuals collaborate with concerted efforts. By providing support to the activities of UN Women Pakistan, individuals can contribute to the promotion of a more equitable and promising future for Pakistan.

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