Women-focused reforms urged in Balochistan livestock sector

Quetta - Government officials and development partners gathered for a workshop aimed at translating academic research into actionable policies for women's economic empowerment in Balochistan's livestock sector. The event, organized to share insights from a Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-backed study at the University of Balochistan, emphasized the need for gender-responsive strategies to boost women's involvement in livestock-based livelihoods, encompassing value addition, marketing, and household decision-making.

James Okoth, the FAO officer overseeing the initiative, underscored the importance of understanding women's roles, opportunities, and constraints within livestock-based livelihoods to design targeted interventions that harness their economic potential.

Sher Shah Ghilzai, the secretary of the Women Development Department of Balochistan's government, who presided over the event, called for enhanced access to resources, skills, markets, and decision-making for rural women. "Strengthening women’s access to resources, skills, markets and decision-making is essential to creating greater economic opportunities for women and their households," Ghilzai asserted.

He praised the collaboration between the FAO and the University of Balochistan, which generated evidence to inform practical policies and programmes, and expressed eagerness for continued partnerships to transform research into tangible actions for rural Balochistan. The study, funded by the European Union under the "Post Floods Resilient Recovery and Strengthening of the Livestock Sector in Balochistan" project, examined the challenges and opportunities faced by women in livestock-based livelihoods across the province. The findings were published in Dawn on August 23rd, 2026.