The empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of their political, social, economic and health status is a highly important for the overall social development of a country. The full participation and partnership of both women and men is required in productive and reproductive life, including shared responsibilities for the care and nurturing of children and maintenance of the household. It is clear that women are facing threats to their lives, health and well- being as a result of being overburdened with work and of their lack of power and influence. In most parts of our country, women receive less formal education than men, and at the same time, women own knowledge, abilities and coping mechanisms often go unrecognized. The power relations that impede women attainment of healthy and fulfilling lives operate at many levels of society, from the most personal to the highly public. Achieving change requires policy and programme actions that will improve women access to secure livelihoods and economic resources, alleviate their extreme responsibilities with regard to housework, remove legal impediments to their participation in public life, and raise social awareness through effective programmes of education and mass communication. In addition, improving the status of women also enhances their decision-making capacity at all levels in all spheres of life.

Cognizant of this, women empowerment is among the priority programs of Center of Concern. It has been implementing projects focusing on economic empowerment of women, mitigation of the harmful traditional practices affecting the lives and future of women and girls and enhancing the political participation and decision making role of women.