Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said her commitment made on Women’s Day to establish daycare centres for working women is rapidly materialising across the province under a special initiative of the Women Development Department.
Under the project, 650 daycare centres are planned in hospitals, educational institutions and government offices across Punjab, with Rs1 billion allocated for their establishment.
According to Women Development Department Secretary Saman Rai, the first phase envisages the establishment of 390 daycare centres, of which 350 are fully functional while 40 are in the final stages of completion.
The chief minister has also set a target of establishing all 650 daycare centres by the next financial year.
Each daycare centre will be equipped with educational material, toys and LCD screens for children. Trained caregivers will be appointed to look after the children, while the Women Development Department will initially bear the salaries of the caregivers.
Daycare centres have already been established in all Daanish Schools for working women teachers and staff. Priority has also been given to setting up facilities in girls’ colleges and hospitals in South Punjab and other remote districts.
An online monitoring system has also been made operational for daycare centres across the province.
In Lahore, a target of 86 daycare centres was set for government offices, educational institutions and hospitals, of which 70 have become functional. On the chief minister’s directions, daycare centres have also been established at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bar Council.
In Faisalabad, 20 daycare centres have been established in government institutions for the convenience of working women.
Functional daycare centres include 21 in Bhakkar, 18 in Sheikhupura, 18 in Layyah, 17 in Khanewal, 15 in Okara, 14 in Nankana Sahib, 12 each in Sialkot and Vehari, 17 in Bahawalpur, 16 in Multan, 12 in Gujranwala, and seven each in Rawalpindi and Sargodha.
Maryam Nawaz said the protection and welfare of working women remained among her government’s priorities, adding that daycare centres were being established throughout Punjab to provide them with better facilities and support.