Handmade products of female home-based workers exhibited

Islamabad

Women artisans from all over the country displayed their handmade products at an exhibition and fashion show organised to promote the work of female home-based workers.

The unique fashion show, organised by USAID supported Gender Equity Programme (GEP) of Aurat Foundation, featured GEP’s own team as well as beneficiaries who displayed products such as handbags, shoes, jewellery, embroidered ‘kurtas’ and shawls. The audience appreciated the products and the skills of the makers. The purpose of this fashion show was to let skilled women take pride in their work and skills.

The products displayed in the fashion show were designed and produced under GEP grants. “This fashion show organised in the centre of the capital city has given me new confidence in myself and my skill,” said a beneficiary of the project from Sindh.

Under these grants, Trade Facilitation Centres have been set up in 12 districts of Pakistan where women workers’ products are displayed while they are also being linked with local and international markets through trade exhibitions. Hundreds of women have received training, enhanced their businesses and experienced an increase in their income level.

GEP supports the government in promoting women’s rights and empowerment. By the time it ends in 2017, GEP will have funded up to 300 grants to government and non-government organisations.

The programme has made substantial contributions to women’s economic empowerment starting from financially empowering women flood survivors in 2010 to more projects over the years such as training courses on business development and life skills in collaboration with First Women Bank Limited (FWBL), internship programems for women IT graduates and lawyers and initiatives for improved livelihood of women home-based workers.