Women Development Department was established on April 4, 2012 under “Punjab Women Empowerment Package (PWEP) 2012” announced on International Women's Day on March 8, 2012. This policy document comprises multiple reforms in legal, administrative and institutional spheres while providing new initiatives to safeguard women’s rights and is expected to transform the socio-economic status of women by expanding opportunities available to them. The self-contained administrative unit in the Punjab Secretariat, Women Development Department is mandated to lead the province towards Women Empowerment and Gender Equity following PWEP-2012. Specific functions and responsibilities have been assigned to the department through amendments in Punjab Government Rules of Business, 2011.