Facilitation of women entrepreneurs top priority: FWCCI president

FAISALABAD: Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FWCCI) has top priority to promote and facilitate women entrepreneurs to play their due role in economic growth at regional and international level.

In this context, various critical steps have been taken for capacity building of women entrepreneurs to improve their businesses in addition to establishing a Common Market Facilitation Centre’ in collaboration with various international donors, said Mrs. Nighat Shahid, President FWCCI. She was addressing to the participants of Symposium on ‘Accelerating Progress Unfolding growth Opportunities in Pakistan’ organized by The Millennium Universal College Faisalabad.

She said that huge untapped potential exists among women doing business both in formal and informal sectors and they must be helped to grow. She said that women, have 52% share of the country’s population but because of various socio-cultural effects as well as lack of knowledge and skills in certain areas, they are unable to grow their business to recognized level.

She said that as President FWCCI, she has tried to realize the Government that half of our population has been crippled due to the prevailing socio-economic conditions. Despite of the best efforts, women are reluctant to start their own businesses while a few sectors due to their own tailor made protections, had succeeded to attract women. In traditional sectors, women are generally harassed and discouraged to play their productive role.

She said that we have also invited attention of policy makers that a large number of young girls are studying at university level. These girls at school level must be equipped with vocational training to become a productive part of the national economy. At the higher stage, girls must be given a business related project with full support from the banking side. The girls should be encouraged to start these projects after completion of their education. In this connection, the banks should play pro-active role and provide financial support in addition to arranging a technical help from the Government institutions till these projects are successfully started running on the smooth footing.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021