Smeda launches women entrepreneurs information network on February 11

The Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) has created an information hub on the World-wide Web (www.win.org.pk) with the support of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Centre for Research on Poverty Reduction and Income Distribution (CRPRID).
According to an Smeda press release, the formal launching of the Women Entrepreneurs Information Network is going to be held on February 11, as Smeda has already established a Women Entrepreneurs Development Cell operating to serve over 300,000 businesswomen nation-wide.
Our extensive interaction with Women Entrepreneurs (WEs) in the past couple of years gave credence to the views that information gap and lack of networking are two most important impediments in the development of women-led businesses in Pakistan, it said, adding the purpose of the said Network is to bridge the major resource gap for women entrepreneurs in terms of access to information, markets and increased networking opportunities.
The project entails the provision of information relating to various business-support institutions, their women related programmes and incentives, opportunities for business match-making and networking through a virtual platform, the release said, adding in a way, this unique portal will serve as a repository of information for women entrepreneurs development.
It is envisioned to assist and empower existing and potential WEs by enhancing their role in business activities.
In the same vein, it will also provide an opportunity to all business-support institutions to market their products and services through a common platform on the web.
Meanwhile, a Consultative Workshop was held in Islamabad recently to elicit the views and comments of stakeholders, including the Ministry of Women Development Social Welfare and Special Education, the First Women Bank, the SME Bank, CRPRID, ILO to name a few, for further improvement in the portal for women entrepreneurs.
Valuable suggestions received from these stakeholders were incorporated and the portal is now ready for its final launch, it added.