Rahoo vows to put full weight behind Sindh water bill

HYDERABAD: Sindh Agriculture Minister Muhammad Ismail Rahoo on Wednesday assured fast-track passage of the Sindh water management amendment bill, pending for long time in the provincial assembly, and its best implementation subsequently.

“The bill was ready and presented at the assembly forum at different occasions but it has not been passed timely,” the minister said speaking at the launch of a project ‘Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment through Agriculture, Livestock and Water Resources Management’.

Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO), a rights-based civil society support group, is spearheading this project in Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan and Hyderabad districts of the province.

Rahoo said the COVID-19 pandemic had shaken the world, disrupting urban as well rural economies across the globe and Pakistan was no exception.

He said the rural women workers were the most affected and assured to take up the specific law to empowering rural women.

“The rural farmer women should have representation at all levels,” he said.

Rahoo realised that fact that ‘women empowerment and ending gender inequality’ was the biggest challenge in the society. “There is double standard in terms of exploitation of women at all levels from peasant women to prime minister,” Rahoo added.

The event attracted representatives of community farmer women, Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA), officials of agriculture, livestock and civil society organizations.

Qaisar Bengali, a renowned economist in his speech proposed that there should be separate elections just after the general elections where women can vote directly to their candidates. It is only way out to empower the women. In fact it is dream but should initiate the idea for change.