RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: In yet another step towards empowering women, the Punjab government on Thursday launched an online job portal titled “Job Asaan-Employment Facilitation Hub for Women” for female job-seekers to create a safe space for the womenfolk with higher education to seek their career guidance, mentoring and soft skills trainings.

Provincial Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha revealed this while inaugurating the Job Asaan Sahulat Centre at Gulberg on Thursday.

She said the center has been set up under the aegis of the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) to facilitate the job-seeking girls.

The minister said the Punjab government is providing every possible opportunity to womenfolk for their holistic inclusion in the process of national development and economic prosperity.

“Establishment of women employment facility center is an important step towards that goal,” she remarked.

“Through this project, the female job-seekers will be fully trained in different matters pertaining to their economic prospects including job search, CV writing, fundamental training and self-protection against harassment at workplaces so that the women could perform their duties with self-confidence and courage,” the minister said.

According to Pasha, women are 48 percent of the population; therefore, they cannot be kept away from the process of development. Their proactive participation in all walks of life including trade and economic activities will expedite the process of growth and development at the grassroots level.

She stressed the need to increase awareness, opportunities and trainings for females to enter the job-market for economic self-sustainability, adding the Punjab government is playing its role by providing equal opportunities of education and socio-economic growth to the womenfolk.

She claimed that girls had given equal share in different educational programmes including PEEF and PEF.

“It is, therefore, up to the womenfolk to take maximum benefit of the opportunities available to them for excelling in life,” she added.

Ayesha said the PCSW has taken an important step by launching the Job Asaan Center and hoped that the center will make it easier for the needy girls to get suitable employment opportunities.

She said the PCSW will ensure setting up such centers in all the 36 districts of the province.

Chairperson of PCSW Fauzia Viqar said one of the key barriers in female employment is lack of technical and soft skills. The center has been designed to offer a range of support services to women; enabling them to locate, pursue and find suitable employments and careers opportunities.

“For women with logistical constraints, the job portal can be availed by calling the PCSW’s toll fee helpline 1043,” the chairperson said, adding that callers will be registered with the online portal and get appointments with Job Asaan’s staff according to their convenience.

She said the portal shall also provide necessary awareness to the employers regarding relevant labour and harassment laws. In addition, job fairs will be arranged at the center to link beneficiaries with prospective employers. She said it is expected that at least 3,000 women will benefit from the centre in the initial phase of the project till December 2018. “In the long run, the PCSW envisions setting up multiple employment centers in different cities across the province.”

Meanwhile, Viqar also gave media briefing to media personnel at the DGPR office and disclosed that Job Asaan Center has started functioning from Thursday with the establishment of pioneering office in Gulberg. The chairperson said these centers will provide necessary awareness and technical assistance to the women about their rights and legal protection against harassment at workplaces.

“Online job portal has also been placed at PSCA website www.pcsw.gov.pk where the needy women can get information about suitable jobs. It is expected that this facility will go a long way in facilitating the needy women to improve their job prospects and play an active role in the economic prosperity of their families,” she concluded.