The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has recently unveiled an initiative aimed at empowering approximately 17,000 women and girls across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. The project, titled “Digitalization for Women’s Economic Empowerment,” is set to run until 2028, emphasizing the importance of digital skills in enhancing economic participation.

Project Launch and Collaborative Efforts

This significant announcement came during a meeting held at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIK Institute). The event saw participation from various stakeholders, including representatives from KOICA, UN Women, and local government departments such as the Science, Technology and Information Technology Department (ST&IT) and the Directorate of Science and Technology (DoST) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Key Participants in the Initiative

Eun Ah Su, a program specialist and international consultant, joined the discussions virtually. The KOICA delegation featured prominent members like Abira Farooq, Project Manager for Digitalization, as well as Nadia Khan from DoST KP, and Shahida Shah, Project Officer and Head of Women’s Economic Empowerment. Leading the GIK Institute’s delegation was Sardar Aminullah Khan, Pro-Rector (Administration and Finance).

Scope of the Project

Abira Farooq provided insights into the project’s geographic focus, which includes cities such as Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan in Punjab, alongside Peshawar, Mardan, and Swabi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The initiative seeks to enhance the economic involvement of young women through two primary strategies:

• Providing capacity-building programs and mentorship to facilitate entry into the technology sector.
• Creating supportive environments for women to engage in IT-related roles, encompassing software development and data analytics, by collaborating with private sector and government entities.

Collaboration for Impact

During the discussions, participants explored ways to strengthen cooperation to maximize the project’s effectiveness. Abira Farooq remarked, “The project is in its initial stages, and multiple modalities are being discussed to achieve outstanding results.”

Support from Academic Institutions

Sardar Aminullah Khan expressed the GIK Institute’s willingness to support KOICA’s training programs, stating, “Our academic community is prepared to play its role, and facilities such as laboratories can be utilized to achieve the desired outcomes.” Following these discussions, the delegation toured the institute’s laboratories to explore training opportunities for women.

Further Engagements

The delegation also met with Prof. Dr. Sami Farooq, Dean of the School of Management Sciences, to discuss additional contributions that the GIK Institute can make toward KOICA’s mission of empowering women.