KARACHI, March 28: The provincial women development department has planned to initiate networking of all the non- governmental organizations working for the womenfolk in the province.

This was stated by Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik while talking to newsmen here on Sunday. She said that the networking of women associations would strengthen them further to raise voice for the rights of womenfolk, who were subjected to domestic violence, harassment at workplace, sexual harassment and other atrocities.

Dr Saeeda Malik, who returned a couple of days back after a week-long visit to Germany, told newsmen that the visit under a programme on "Gender Equality Policy in Germany and Pakistan" provided her a chance to study the policies and working of German government with regard to women rights.

She said it was inspiring for her to know that they had a networking of 52 women associations registered with the German government having over 11 million members. These associations used to hold meetings and do lobbying jointly at all the levels for the rights of women, she added.

"I observed there that they were much ahead of us with regard to human rights," she admitted. The minister was in much praise for the German authorities that had established 440 centres across the country for women to provide them shelter and other help.

The women were provided with full social security and even a handsome allowance as an incentive to give birth to more children for negative birth rate currently existing in Germany, she added.

About 42 per cent of the total German workforce consist of women, and among them 55 per cent were university graduates and 45 per cent were having higher degrees. The participation ratio of German women in politics was about 30.9 per cent, she said adding that German government has also established career building centres and 'baby day-care centres' for women.

"We would take maximum benefit from this experience and evolve similar policies and strategies here," she said. She revealed that as a part of National Gender Reform Action Plan, her department had already prepared Provincial Gender Reform Action Plan envisaging legal, political, constitutional and other proposals for the protection of women's rights. This would be an ADB-funded project.

"We have proposed 33 per cent representation to women in parliament, public service commissions and other government bodies and organizations. The action plan would be presented in provincial cabinet for approval in its next meeting," she said.

The minister said that she had also planned to hold Open Kutcheries purely for women all over the province to take stock of their problems and encourage them to approach to the women centres for redressal of their grievances.

"A women complaint cell would start functioning just after a week at Sindh Secretariat (Old KDA building) in Karachi while the department has identified Sukkur for establishment of Family Protection Centre," she said. -PPI