Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has emphasized government's commitment to enhancing women's health and education as a cornerstone for national development. Addressing the concluding session of the National Conference on Women and Health in Islamabad today, he said no country can achieve development without the full participation of its female population, which constitutes fifty percent of the population. The Minister pointed out that countries with less than a fifty percent participation rate of women in national development have not succeeded in sustainable growth. He said the government implemented various measures including technological advancements that enable women to work from home, thereby enhancing their participation in the workforce. Commenting on health initiatives taken by government, Ahsan Iqbal said that the government is tackling hepatitis with a national campaign aimed at achieving results comparable to Egypt's success in eliminating the disease within three years. He said the government a lso aims to address malnutrition among schoolchildren by enhancing nutritional facilities, alongside efforts to stabilize the population growth rate, which has begun to increase in contrast to global trends. The Minister emphasized the inclusivity of these efforts, noting the establishment of the Gender Unit within the Ministry of Planning during the previous tenure. Source: Radio Pakistan