The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) in Islamabad has brought together key public and private sector stakeholders to accelerate digital inclusion for women across Pakistan. At a major meeting of the Digital Inclusion Working Group, participants focused on advancing the Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy 2024—a framework developed jointly by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), UNESCO Islamabad, the Gender Digital Inclusion Project (GDIP), and the Ministry of IT & Telecom.
The meeting gathered representatives from Pakistan’s digital and telecom industries, with a unified goal of ensuring that women nationwide have access to digital tools, resources, and opportunities. Chairing the session virtually, NCSW Chairperson Ms. Ume-Laila Azhar emphasized that building a digitally inclusive future is a matter of empowerment, safety, and dignity for women.
Ms. Humaira Zia Mufti, NCSW Secretary, led the session and presented a comprehensive three-year roadmap aimed at integrating digital access into Pakistan’s broader development plans. The plan outlines several interventions targeting key areas: fostering cultural transformation through behavior change campaigns, developing women-centered digital content and services, advocating for inclusive policies and systems, and improving monitoring and evaluation.
To implement this strategy, NCSW will establish a Digital Inclusion Cell and create three subcommittees focused on research, national awareness, and financial inclusion. Four pilot districts will be selected based on current gaps in digital access for women. Community-based behavior change campaigns, conducted in partnership with various organizations, are also being rolled out to ensure effective engagement at the grassroots level.
Calling digital inclusion “central to women’s empowerment and Pakistan’s future,” NCSW leaders made a national call to action, urging civil society, academia, the private sector, media, and development partners to collaborate in making digital equality for women a reality in Pakistan.
