Embassy of the United States of America – Page 11

February 8, 2018

United States Embassy Islamabad and Fatima Jinnah Women University Renew Partnership with Susan B. Anthony Reading Room

Rawalpindi, February 08, 2018 (PPI-OT): Minister Counsellor for Public Affairs Kathryn Crockart and the Vice Chancellor of the Fatima Jinnah Women University Professor, Dr. Samina Amin Qadir, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to renew the partnership with the Susan B. Anthony Reading Room in a ceremony at the university on Wednesday.

During the ceremony, Dr. Qadir expressed her appreciation for the opportunities to build exchanges and research capabilities with U.S. academic institutions that the Embassy has helped foster through the reading room.Ms. Crockart underlined the importance and value that women bring to society and the workforce and lauded Fatima Jinnah Women University and SBARR for their positive impact on education in Pakistan.

First established in 2008, the Susan B. Anthony Reading Room is the result of ten years of partnership between FJWU and U.S. Embassy Islamabad.The reading room is named after Susan B. Anthony, the nineteenth-century American known for her advocacy of voting rights and education for women, improved working conditions, and the abolition of slavery.The Susan B. Anthony Reading Room regularly organizes programs for university students, faculty, and guests focusing on English language learning, educational advising and exam resources, U.S. exchange alumni and cultural programs, and information about the United States.

The reading room’s book and writing clubs are particularly popular among visitors.The reading room has also hosted programs to raise awareness about gender-based violence and discrimination and to promote knowledge sharing among entrepreneurs.The Susan B. Anthony Reading Room’s Friends of the Corner volunteer program also provides students with opportunities to enhance their learning experience and position them for professional careers.During the visit, Ms. Crockart also congratulated a graduating group of volunteers for their contributions and commitment and awarded Certificates of Recognition.

The Susan B. Anthony Reading Room is part of the U.S. Embassy’s network of 18 Lincoln Corners in Pakistan.Lincoln Corners are resource centers and event spaces hosted in partnership with Pakistani libraries, universities, and cultural centers.They provide a platform for open dialogue between Pakistanis and Americans and strengthen people-to-people ties.

For more information, contact:
Spokesman
Information Office Public Affairs Section
Embassy of the United States of America
U.S. Embassy, Islamabad- Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-2082911, +92-51-2081136
Cell: +92-300-5012640
Fax: +92-51-2278607
Email: webmasterisb@state.gov

February 2, 2018

United States Deputy Assistant Secretary visits Bokra Government School to meet Afghan Refugee Students

Islamabad, February 02, 2018 (PPI-OT): United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Nancy Izzo Jackson visited Bokra Government School for Boys at I-12 Settlement, Islamabad on February 2 and met with Afghan refugee students. During the visit, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) briefed Deputy Assistant Secretary about the school that started accepting Afghan students in 2016 after advocacy by UNHCR. The Bokra Government School is the only government primary school located in the vicinity of I-12 Afghan settlement that offers free education from Kindergarten to Grade five.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Izzo Jackson appreciated the notion that the number of Afghan refugee students has increase at the school, and the school is also encouraging girls’ enrolment due to non-availability of girls’ school in the vicinity.

The United States is pleased to be the largest, single-country contributor to UNHCR, she said, adding that the U.S. government has been working with UNHCR to support the projects that enhance educational opportunities for Afghan and Pakistani children, strengthen cultural ties, and build a shared future between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

UNHCR representatives informed Izzo Jackson that it has obtained the approval from Federal Directorate of Education Islamabad for construction of extra class rooms in the school while the design of building has already been devised and the consultant has been identified through call-of-interest to monitor the progress of the construction.

January 23, 2018

USAID Creates Pathways to Success for Young Women

Islamabad, January 23, 2018 (PPI-OT):The U.S. Government demonstrated its commitment to increasing opportunities for Pakistani women during a panel discussion focused on education, economic participation, and gender equality. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Deputy Mission Director Christopher Steel spoke to more than 100 participants from academia, public, private, and non-profit sectors at a program sponsored by the USAID-supported Training for Pakistan activity.

“We all should realize that for a woman to advance, it is critical that she is given the opportunity to learn. It is equally important that the ecosystem in which she operates empowers her to achieve whatever form of success she has defined for herself,” Mr. Steel said. “Through the Pathways to Success Program, USAID is assisting Pakistani women and girls in acquiring marketable skills, preparing them for the workplace, and encouraging them to explore employment opportunities and entrepreneurial endeavours. By improving opportunities for adolescent girls to access the knowledge and the technical skills they need, we empower them to make better lives for themselves, their families, their communities, and their country.”

The discussion was moderated by Ms. Moneeza Hashmi, Mentoring Coordinator for the USAID-supported Pathways to Success National Mentoring Program. Panellists for the first session included beneficiaries of the program along with their parents. Panellists for the second discussion included Kiran Khan, female Olympic swimmer for Pakistan; Hajra Khan, female footballer and Captain of the Pakistan Women’s National Football Team; Amra Mubashir, Lead Culture, Engagement, and Diversity Officer at PepsiCo; Ather Viqar Azeem, Senior Vice President at HUM TV Network Limited; Danielle Sharaf, Technology Entrepreneur; and Faheem Hamid, Director Sales at Air Blue.

The USAID Training for Pakistan activity has helped more than 3,000 young women from underserved areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Sindh provinces to gain the skills they need to build meaningful careers. More than 30 high-achieving and prominent women from IT, business, law, micro finance, banking, academia, arts, sports, and media have volunteered their participation in a national mentor network for 300 girls under the USAID-supported mentorship program. The mentors meet with their adolescent mentees and families at least twice a month to provide them guidance on how to overcome challenges and paving the way for professional success.

The USAID Training for Pakistan activity is a multi-year initiative aimed at providing participant training in the areas of education, energy, economic growth and agriculture, health, and stabilization and governance. The activity utilizes a broad range of participant training resources, contributing to the capacity development of USAID partners in line with the development objectives of the Government of Pakistan.