Pakistan Honours Two Catholic Sisters for Healthcare, Women’s Empowerment

ISLAMABAD, October 22, 2026: Two Catholic sisters have received Pakistan’s Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan Excellence Award for their contributions to healthcare, disability care and women’s empowerment, becoming the first women religious to receive the national honour.

Sr. Mariam Gill of the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret and Sr. Genevieve Ram Lal of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary received the awards on October 14 in Islamabad, in recognition of their service to vulnerable communities and their contributions to social development.

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, presented the awards to the sisters and 40 other recipients at a ceremony held alongside the International Conference on Inclusive and Resilient Economic Empowerment and Growth. The event brought together around 400 participants from 12 countries.

Organised by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, the awards recognise women’s contributions to social, economic and institutional development across five categories: civil society and social development, political leadership, public administration, academia and sports.

Christopher Sharaf, national coordinator of Saiban-e-Pakistan, a state initiative focused on peace, reconciliation and reconstruction studies, nominated the sisters. He said Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, had approved their nominations.

“Sr. Gill is recognized for her dedicated service to healthcare, disability support, human dignity, and the inclusion of vulnerable communities, while Sr. Lal is recognized for her outstanding contributions to women's empowerment, social welfare, and community development,” Sharaf told Global Sisters Report.

He said the honour also acknowledged the contribution of women religious to nation-building and public service beyond their traditional roles in convents and Church institutions. He expressed hope that the recognition would encourage greater cooperation between government agencies, Catholic Church commissions, lay Catholics and other Christian institutions in healthcare, education and community development.

Nearly three decades of service to people with disabilities

Sr. Gill, 46, who directs St. Joseph’s Hospice in Rawalpindi, has spent 27 years working in healthcare for people with disabilities. She dedicated the award to her congregation, the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret, crediting its support for sustaining her mission.

At the hospice, she oversees the care of 25 residents who require assistance with daily activities. Many come from middle-class families whose members struggle to provide long-term care without institutional support, she said.

Funding remains a major challenge for the hospice. However, Sr. Gill said people with disabilities also face social stigma, exclusion and rejection by their own families.

Some residents depend on others for basic activities such as eating, taking medication and using the toilet. Without adequate family support, they risk being left isolated and neglected.

“Acceptance is another challenge for such people, who are rejected by both society and their families,” she said.

Sr. Gill stressed that improving the lives of people with disabilities requires not only financial resources and care facilities but also a change in social attitudes towards them.

“The award is a recognition not only of my personal commitment but also of my identity as a Christian and a woman religious serving vulnerable people,” she said.

Recognition for women’s empowerment

Sr. Ram Lal, national director of the Catholic Women’s Organization, also serves on Pakistan’s National Commission on the Status of Women. Her award recognises her work in women’s empowerment, social welfare and community development.

The two congregations began their missions in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, and have continued their service through healthcare and social initiatives.

The awards mark a national recognition of the role played by Catholic women religious in addressing social challenges and serving communities beyond the Church’s institutional boundaries.

Courtesy: GSR