KOICA’s Initiative

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has announced an ambitious project aimed at empowering approximately 17,000 women and girls in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab by the year 2028. This initiative, titled “Digitalization for Women Economic Empowerment,” seeks to leverage technology to enhance economic participation among young women in these regions.

Collaborative Efforts

This announcement was made during a recent meeting involving KOICA, UN Women, the Science and Technology and Information Technology Department (ST and IT), and the Directorate of Science and Technology (DoST), KP. Members of this delegation included:

• Abira Farooq, Project Manager of Digitalization
• Nadia Khan, Directorate of Science and Technology, KP
• Shahida Shah, Project Officer and Head of Women’s Economic Empowerment

Participating remotely was Eun Ah Su, an international consultant and program specialist. The delegation from the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology was led by Sardar Aminullah Khan, Pro-Rector, Administration and Finance.

Project Objectives

Abira Farooq elaborated on the project’s scope, which spans major cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan in Punjab, and Peshawar, Mardan, and Swabi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The primary objective is to boost economic engagement among young women through:

1. Capacity-building programs in the technology sector
2. Mentorship opportunities with industry experts
3. Collaboration with both private sectors and government stakeholders to create a supportive environment for women in technology fields such as IT services, software development, and data analytics

Future Prospects and Support from Academia

During discussions, the delegation focused on enhancing cooperation and collaboration to maximize benefits from shared resources. Abira Farooq indicated that the project is still in its early stages. Sardar Aminullah Khan expressed the GIK Institute’s readiness to contribute to KOICA’s training programs, emphasizing the institution’s willingness to provide essential facilities and expertise to achieve the project’s goals.

Additionally, talks were held with Prof. Dr. Sami Farooq, dean of the School of Management Sciences, about further academic support for KOICA’s mission to empower women.