Social Development (Women Empowerment)
Poverty is ‘gendered’ because women and men experience poverty differently – and unequally – and become poor through different, though related, processes.
Women, who are the caregivers and primary influencers of the next generation, are facing the greatest hardships. PEI is aimed at empowerment of Women, Children, differently able and disadvantaged section of the society through dialogue, pro-active interventions and coalition building by developing linkages with NGOs and grass root organizations. But women are also uniting to empower each other, fight poverty, and end inequality. Women fall into poverty more easily and more frequently than men. They constitute majority of the people living in poverty. Ending discrimination against women and girls and promoting gender equality were critical for poverty eradication for PEI. And every step to improve the lives and social standing of women has ripple effects on health care, education, and economic development throughout the poorer communities. PEI is helping girls to complete their education and is employing women as teachers. It is due to efforts of PEI and such firms that literacy rates for women, women’s political participation, maternal health is improving in Pakistan with rapid growth.
PEI seeks to provide social development, primarily in low-income localities, by investing in health, education, poverty alleviation, income generation skills, human resource and rural development. PEI has adopted the holistic interpretation of health, which goes beyond medical/curative models and includes Health promotion, advocacy, research, training, community involvement and outreach services, poverty issues and education. All Programs are implemented through different projects which are Community based and community driven. PEI has conducted trainings of adolescents on life skills, awareness-raising sessions on puberty changes; provision of sports facilities; vocational training; capacity building of parents, teachers, health care providers; HIV & AIDS and Hepatitis.
The Health Sector Strategic Plan of PEI is being implemented in a phased manner, reflecting resource constraints. Priorities include hygiene and sanitation; immunization; malaria control; information, education and communication; reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. Under this plan, PEI has abolished user fees in public facilities and upgraded training and enhanced drug availability. As a result, the usage of the health system has expanded dramatically.