Launching ceremony of USAID-supported Project ‘Supporting Female Graduates’ Access into Information Technology Sectors through Internship Programs’, a collaboration between Hamdard University and Aurat Foundation’s Gender Equity Programme (GEP), was organized on 20 April, 2016, at Hamdard University’s Madinat-ul-Hikmah campus, Karachi. The event was attended by representatives of corporate sector, universities, academia, NGOs, and media.  Ms. Naushaba Khalid, Director K&N Foods, Pakistan, was the Chief Guest at the occasion.

The event highlighted key activities and objectives of the project which aims to link fresh IT graduates to the market in terms of the internships and job opportunities available in IT Sector. The project will equip120 female IT graduates with employable IT skills along with the knowledge on women friendly environment, gender sensitization and laws on women protection.

Ms. Mahnaz Rahman, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation, talked about the critical role GEP has played for the betterment and empowerment of women in Pakistan in the past six years. Dr. Zubair A. Shaikh, President, Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, emphasized the importance of changing the paradigm and enabling more females to take up Information Technology as their career choice. Dr. Humaira Farooq, Head of Computer Science Department Bahria University, talked about the accomplishments made by women in the computing field. Ms. Alia Hasan, Faculty Member, IBA Karachi, spoke about the Career Success of Women.

Chief Guest Ms. Naushaba Khalid said that IT has penetrated a little late in our society and women have been a little wary of stepping into this profession. GEP’s initiative through Hamdard University is like opening a door for females to enter the IT profession. She looked forward to assembling again to hear the success stories of these females. Professor Dr. Hakeem Abdul Hannan said that women’s contribution is of utmost importance and twice in the history of Hamdard Foundation, at the time of major crises, it were women who led the institute.