US Ambassador Donald Blome announced 500 scholarships for Pakistani university students from flood-affected districts to assist them in completing their degrees. The announcement was made at an event celebrating the achievements of female scholars in honor of International Women’s Day at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Islamabad.
Partnership with HEC
The US, through USAID, has supported scholarships for meritorious yet financially disadvantaged students to pursue higher education at top Pakistani universities. In partnership with the HEC, the US government has awarded over 6,000 scholarships through the Merit and Needs Based Scholarship Program. 60% of those scholarships have been awarded to women as part of the US government’s support for women’s higher education.
Celebrate International Women’s Day
“International Women’s Day not only serves as a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements made by our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, and daughters. It is also a call to action to accelerate gender parity and to dismantle gender stereotypes”, said Ambassador Blome.
Attendees of the Event
Present at the event were Federal Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal, HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, HEC Executive Director Dr. Shaista Sohail, USAID Mission Director Reed Aeschliman, university vice-chancellors, students, and alumni.
Commendable Support for Education Sector
HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed remarked, “US government support to strategic sectors in Pakistan, especially the higher education sector, is commendable. Not only have these scholarships helped secure university education for many underprivileged students, lifting themselves and their families out of poverty, they have helped supply Pakistan with crucial skills and knowledge sets to drive the economy.”
U.S. Support for Flood-Affected Students
Federal Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal said, “Pakistan has suffered from catastrophic floods where millions of people lost their homes and livelihoods. The humanitarian response by the United States and other donors is commendable. We welcome U.S. support for flood-affected students.”
Testimony of Scholarship Alumna
Jennifer Andleeb, a scholarship alumna, shared the challenges she faced in attaining higher education and how this scholarship transformed the trajectory of her life. She emphasized that positive changes in society could only happen by investing in education, and that empowered, educated women are critical to ensuring a brighter future for Pakistan.
Also read this: https://www.skipper.pk/strategic-note-2023-2027-unveiled-by-un-women-pakistan-to-further-gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment-in-pakistan/
