Govt urged to encourage women entrepreneurship

Karachi

With a significant increase in literacy and enrolment rate in higher education institutions, during the last couple of decades, it is high time that the government provide more facilities and opportunities to encourage women entrepreneurship in the country.

These views were expressed by speakers and participants during the first 'Women Entrepreneurship Advocacy Session’, which was held yesterday at a local hotel. The session was organised by Women Can Do (WCD): A project of Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness, Islamabad, funded by the United States Embassy, Pakistan, launched in collaboration with US Pak Women Council.

The project, Women Can Do – is a women entrepreneurial capacity building initiative, aimed at providing entrepreneurial training in the federal and provincial educational institutions to create credible linkages between the existing women entrepreneurs, policy makers and financial service providers in the country.

Speaking during session and later addressing a press briefing at conclusion of the event, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, the special assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the chairperson of Higher Education Commission, said that the government was doing its part to promote women entrepreneurship in the country and facilitating them with the help of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

“Government cannot offer jobs to each citizen so especially women should start thinking on starting their own business,” she emphasised.

Speaking on the occasion, the economic officer at the US Consulate General Karachi, Sean Robinson said that his country wish to see promotion of women entrepreneurship in Pakistan and trying to provide all out support and financial assistance. 

"Women entrepreneurs in USA have been provided facilities and they are playing their role in the national development. Women entrepreneurs can also lead Pakistan to new economic heights," he added.

Director Shaoor Foundation Ali Hameed, Project Manager Women Can Do Durreshahwar Mehmood, Saddaffe Abid, Secretary General Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry Shakila Rizvi and Shazia Khalid of First Women Bank were among other speakers who addressed press briefing.

Some other prominent speakers to the event included Ms Mukesh Kumar provincial chief SMEDA, Shakila Rizvi, Soya Zulfiqar, the manager women entrepreneurship program at IBA, Nimrah Karim from Women X, Sana Mahmood from Telenor Pakistan and Rabia Azfar Nizam from Microsoft Pakistan.

The session was attended by some relevant women entrepreneurship advocacy stakeholders including the active businesswomen from the registered Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry district East and South, entrepreneurial policy advisory bodies, including Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority(SMEDA), Trade and Development Authority Pakistan (TDAP), financial service providers like First Women Bank Limited, academic representatives from IBA Karachi, Szabist and Jinnah Women University, corporate sector and local town entrepreneurs.