QUETTA: Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication and Gender Champion for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, spent a full day in Balochistan engaging with frontline women polio workers to understand their experiences, challenges, and working conditions.
During an informal baithak with vaccinators and social mobilizers, she listened to personal accounts from women working at the community level, highlighting the risks, pressures, and responsibilities they face while delivering polio vaccines in hard-to-reach and sensitive areas.
The interaction focused on creating a safe space where workers could openly share concerns related to security, respect, and institutional support.
Ms Farooq reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting and empowering frontline women workers, emphasizing that their safety and dignity are central to the success of the polio eradication campaign. She underscored that when women feel secure, respected, and supported, they are able to work with confidence, strengthening teams and improving outcomes for children and communities.
The visit was part of ongoing efforts to reinforce gender-responsive leadership within the polio programme and to ensure that the voices of frontline workers
