Introduction & Scope

Introduction
NED-Women Conference 2024: Perspectives on Women Development will be hosted by the NED University of Engineering & Technology in collaboration with the Sindh Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (SHEC) between 6-7 November 2024, in Karachi. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Women Empowerment for a Sustainable Future: Innovation, Enlightenment, and Pathways for Engendering Sustainable Development’, the aim of which is to provide a forum that initiates academic discourse and crafts a blueprint for the rising generation of women in framing policy initiatives that may turn unfavourable odds in their favour (SDG#10). The NED Women Conference 2024 is an effort being made with the objective of supporting women in the post-pandemic world as they conquer challenges and seize opportunities as part of their everyday struggle, in their personal and professional spheres to break down the barriers and to “create an enlightened and sustainable world for everyone”. The conference will also serve as a platform for women leading in domains like business, science, education, language, media, etc., from Pakistan and around the world to share stories, lifetime experiences, and guidance for future women (SDG#11).

This year’s event will be the second and international chapter of the NED Women Conference launched in 2019. Please follow NED-Women Conference 2019

https://nedwc2019.neduet.edu.pk

Significance
Figures from 2023 show that out of the 240 million population of Pakistan, 119 million are women. This figure in itself is enough to raise questions regarding the need for efforts to be taken up by various authorities in the public and private sectors that contribute towards the betterment and empowerment of such an enormous chunk of the country’s population. It also raises awareness of the need for a conscious realignment of thought processes and a shifting of modules and approaches towards solution-oriented mechanisms, while building upon a well-grounded definition for modern-day women empowerment. Such efforts are interpreted to not merely work towards the advancement of the female population of Pakistan; but rather towards the country’s overall socio-economic development. The societal peace and harmony required to achieve such goals must not be undermined, as women have veritable rights and vastly unexplored potential to shape their future and the future of the world. Henceforth, women's empowerment is the only means to accept and acknowledge that women deserve a dignified and respectable existence.

2nd and International Conference Chapter
NED-Women Conference not only plans to host its 2nd chapter in 2024 but also proudly announces its first-ever international and hybrid chapter. We welcome speakers and participants from different countries and domains to participate both on-site and online (SDG#17). From webinars with illustrious women from across the globe to paper presentations and workshop delivery for an enthusiastic audience of gender studies enthusiasts, researchers, and women of all ages, the 2024 chapter of the NED-Women Conference presents a unique 2-day long opportunity for raising awareness (SDG#10), participation (SDG#17), presentation, profound learning, and growth (SDG#11).

Pakistan’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Profile
While Sustainable Development Goals have been crafted after meticulous planning, building on the decades' worth of work produced by several countries under the UN, the progress toward achieving satisfactory results has been rather minimal. Pakistan’s profile of SDGs showcases how only 19.7% of these goals have either been fully achieved or are on the right track, while 42.3% remain stagnant in progress, with the remaining 38% worsening over the years.

NEDUET UNESCO Chair
NED University of Engineering & Technology has been granted to establish the UNESCO Chair on "Sustainable Urban Regions". Its goal is to attain SDG#11 in particular and allied SDGs in general. The tasks included in its portfolio are workshops, conferences, seminars, dialogues, and capacity development programmes to train students, faculty members, and professionals of the allied industries. Thus, SDG#17, which reflects the need to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize global partnerships for sustainable development, is being translated into some aspiring aims and objectives set out for the conference.

Conference Aims & Scope
The conference aims to serve as a congregation for actors, influencers, and stakeholders who have prospects available that can contribute towards the development, mobility, and participation of women in domains like leadership, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, STEM, arts, etc. This congregation has and will provide discourse grounds to both men and women in order to share experiences and the lessons learned, problems and their potential solutions, and conceptions that work toward true, sustainable advocacy, consensus, and future policies.
The event brings together both genders to understand the constraints (SDG#17), and struggles of women as they navigate personal and professional domains and the way addressing them will impact global and local communities (SDG#10). It also aims to set strategic, sustainable, and SMART goals for their physical and mental well-being, rights, education and skill-building, economic and political representation, empowerment, and gender equality in the 21st century (SDG#11). Discourse and action revolving around these factors is now a fundamental requirement to fuel holistic growth and benefit humanity.

Conference Speakers and Represented Organizations
One major goal of the NED-Women Conference 2024 is to become the epitome of inclusivity and forge sustainable partnerships (SDG#17). The event this year will have wider and more diverse global and regional representations of countries, cities, cultures, disciplines, organizations, and sectors. More specifically the speakers and our partners reflect the following organizations which is a testimony to the significance of the event and its envisaged impact. Not only this, but the conference is also gender-inclusive as both the male and female perspectives on the scope, significance, and challenges of sustainable women empowerment will be taken into account (SDG#5).

 

Conference Programme
The two-day conference programme will feature Keynote speeches, plenary talks, thematic sessions, technical workshops, panel discussions, and paper presentations. During these events, women leaders, influencers, and mentors will shed light on how young women can chart their own course for personal growth, paving the way for them to achieve their ambitions and reach their full potential. It is a wonderful opportunity to network and connect with prospective mentors, employers, and leaders who can directly and indirectly influence your personal and professional journeys. The event will have a large exhibit involving collaborators and a women-focused and women-led commercial and talent showcase.