Tasleem Naz Abro, Kalsoom Abro
In rural areas of Sindh today, women and girls face significant challenges, including severe water shortages, extreme poverty, food insecurity and vulnerabilities due to climate change, such as recurring floods and droughts.
They also face persistent issues like malnutrition, in-adequate healthcare, violence (domestic, dowry-related) and exclusion from decision-making. All these problems are compounded by poverty, patriarchal norms and poor sanitation, limit-ing their basic rights and potential.
Older women and girls with disabilities face additional challenges, including poverty, social exclusion, domestic burdens and limited access to healthcare, primarily due to a lack of infra-structure and systemic inequalities. Creating inclusive environments for women’s full partici-pation in Sindh requires a multifaceted approach that addresses legal, cultural, economic and physical barriers through government initiatives, civil society efforts and community en-gagement. There is a dire need to provide women in rural areas with a source of income and a path to independence through vocational training, microfinance and market access initiatives. Pro-grams should be designed to empower women economically by building skills, improving financial literacy and challenging cultural barriers, involving a combination of targeted edu-cation, mentorship and policy advocacy. Empowering rural women in Sindh by offering them the opportunity to create small, thriving businesses is essential.
Provincial and international organizations should launch mini drip-irrigation projects for women in villages. They should be provided starter kits containing vegetable seeds, fertilizer and spray equipment, along with training and assistance with fencing—everything needed to create a thriving vegetable garden. Harnessing the power of these women can help them lead the charge in transforming their communities.
International bodies such as UNDP, UN Women Pakistan, GIZ, International Alliance of Women (IAW), Equality Now and Graduate Women International must focus on rural women in Sindh. They should enhance digital capabilities, health literacy and economic in-dependence. Unlocking rural women’s potential requires integrated strategies focusing on fi-nancial access, skill development—digital, business and infrastructure—challenging norms and strong stakeholder collaboration, including the provincial government, federal govern-ment and NGOs.
These efforts build on Sindh’s commitment to gender equality through policies like the Na-tional Women’s Policy, National Gender Policy Framework and the Protection Against Har-assment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, to foster economic independence, leadership and community growth. Sustained investment in rural women’s education, healthcare and entrepreneurial opportunities will ensure lasting social and economic transformation across the province.
—Tasleem Naz Abro is a volunteer adult literacy educator and climate action activist, whereas Kalsoom Abro is a columnist and climate & environment educator.
