Women Resource Center inaugurated at MUET Jamshoro

Women Resource Center (WRC) established under the auspices of Women Society of Engineers Sindh Chapter inaugurated at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro. In the inaugural ceremony of the Center, Vice Chancellor MUET Dr. Mohammad Aslam Uqaili said that MUET administration striving hard to empower women and through the recent initiatives of the University, the women gender committee and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) were founded to institutionalize the efforts.

He said that U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W) is driving force behind the establishment of this Center. Whereas, this Center is established with the generous support of American People through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and technically assisted by the University of Utah, USA. Dr. Uqaili said that populations of women are more than that of men and it is time to invest in human particularly in women capital to strengthen the institutes which ultimate benefit the society. Prof. Uqaili, nevertheless, regretted that many women who studied medicine preferred to be housewives instead of working as doctors for the benefit of the community which bore the expenses of such education through their taxes.

He said that the WRC would help in implementing the gender equality policy of the MUET as well as in transforming policy principles into action plans. Ms. Uzma Imran, Assistant Professor of USPCAS-W gave a presentation and briefed the audience on the objectives and functions of WRC, saying that the WRC aimed at serving as a central facility to promote gender equality and diversity in all the activities at the MUET. The WRC would take affirmative action to promote a woman-friendly culture at the university and would also promote research in gender-related issues. She said that the resource center will facilitate promote networking among girls’ students, women faculty and staff of different departments of various Universities. She further highlighted that WRC will assist girls’ students in getting scholarships, training, internships and other learning opportunities and also will organize different events. While Dr. Bakhshal Khan Lashari presenting the vote of thanks said that visit to the University of Utah gave the inspiration to the MUET management to take efforts for women empowerment in the campus and outside be adopting Gender Equity Policy and establishing this resource center for women.

He thanked Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Chaudhry, Chief of Party USPCAS-W, University of Utah, and Ms. Shabnam Baloch for their efforts on the part of the University of Utah for the establishment of this resource center. Prof. Dr. Khadija Qureshi, President of WSE presented welcome address briefed about the Society efforts to encourage the women in the professional field. Pro-Vice Chancellor MUET Prof. Dr. Tauha Hussain Ali, Dr. Kamran Ansari, Prof. Dr. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry, Prof. Dr. Abdul Sami Qureshi, Prof. Dr. Khanji Harijan, Ms. Shabnam Baloch, Ms. Hadiqa Maqsood, Ms. Nafisa Zaki, Ms. Quratul Ain, Ms. Attiya Baqai, Ms. Sahib Khatoon, Ms. Madeha Channa and other office bearers of the society and gender committee attended the inaugural ceremony of the resource center. Before the inaugural ceremony, Vice Chancellor MUET Dr. Mohammad Aslam Uqaili inaugurate Women Resources Center which was established by Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Sindh Chapter.