LAHORE: The creation of a distinct SME Policy for female entrepreneurs in Pakistan has received universal support from the attendees of the First Private Sector Consultative Session.
The workshop was jointly hosted by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and the FCDO-funded group ReMIT on Tuesday at a nearby hotel.
The keynote speaker at the event was Dr. Shehla Javaid Akram, the founding president of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry. On this occasion, Mr. Usman Khan, an expert in investment and climate financing from REMIT, and Ms. Nadia Jehangir Seth, general manager of policy and planning at SMEDA, also spoke.
In order to enable Pakistani women entrepreneurs to become active participants in the country’s economy, session participants and stakeholders called for equal opportunities for them. The speakers believed that Pakistan’s economic progress will be revolutionized by the creation of a Women Entrepreneurship Policy (WEP) and Action Plan.
The fact that UN Women, ADB, UKAid, and ReMIT were important collaborators in this project is encouraging.
In order to examine the main obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs in Pakistan, the session brought together development partners, government representatives, and female entrepreneurs from a variety of economic sectors.
Prior to the breakout group activities on the subjects of Access to Finance, Market Access, Regulations, Licensing and Taxation, and Business Development Services, the SMEDA and ReMIT teams had provided an overview of the state of women entrepreneurs. These workshops promoted lively debates and idea sharing, which produced useful suggestions for the creation of policies.
