ISLAMABAD: Marking International Women’s Day, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) organized a dialogue titled “From Rights to Action” at the National Library of Pakistan, bringing together women working on the frontline of the country’s polio eradication efforts.
The session was led by the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication and Gender Champion for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), Ayesha Raza Farooq, who engaged with frontline health workers, journalists, religious leaders and programme representatives. The participants discussed the critical role women play in building community trust, countering misinformation and supporting vaccination efforts across Pakistan.
Addressing the gathering, Ayesha Raza Farooq said that women remain at the heart of Pakistan’s fight against polio. She noted that from vaccinators visiting households across the country to journalists and religious leaders helping strengthen public confidence in vaccination campaigns, women are making vital contributions to the programme’s progress.
She emphasized that as Gender Champion for GPEI, it is important that the voices and experiences of women working at the grassroots level are incorporated into programme strategies to ensure effective community engagement and outreach.
Participants shared their field experiences and discussed ways to strengthen collaboration among different sectors to support the final phase of polio eradication in Pakistan.
The dialogue also served as a platform to enhance cross-sector engagement among women working in health, community outreach and public trust-building ahead of the next nationwide polio vaccination campaign scheduled to begin on April 13.
