Digital & financial inclusion of women: WCCI, UNDP hold provincial dialogue

LAHORE: In a concerted effort to empower women and bridge Pakistan’s widening gender gap, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lahore (WCCIL), in collaboration with UNDP’s Punjab SDGs Unit, convened a high-level provincial consultation titled “Bridging the Gender Divide | Empowering Futures through Digital and Financial Inclusion of Women.”

Chaired by the President of Bank of Punjab Zafar Masud, the dialogue engaged esteemed speakers from diverse sectors with UNDP, represented by Dr. M. Aman Ullah, Project Manager, Punjab SDGs Unit; Dr. Shehla Javed Akram, Founder Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Falahat Imran, President WCCI; Ahmed Khan, CEO PSDF; Prof. Dr. Uzma Qureshi, Vice Chancellor, Lahore College for Women University, Ayub Ghuri, Executive Director Netsol, and Ms. Rie Komahashi from JICA.

The keynote address was delivered by Zafar Masud, President of the Bank of Punjab, who emphasized the critical need for expanding access to financial services for women and young entrepreneurs. “Local chambers must give a list of local global and regional supply chains to which local women entrepreneurs can connect to while transcending baking and dress making”, said Zafar. Further he stressed to create some bankable projects/financial empowerment schemes that could be run or supported by Bank of Punjab.

“This provincial dialogue is not just a discussion; it is a commitment to action. We are working to ensure that women are not only included in Pakistan’s digital and financial ecosystems but empowered to lead within them,” said UNDP’s Dr. M. Aman Ullah.

Despite some progress with 8 million more women gaining access to mobile internet in the past year; Pakistan’s overall ranking in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 remains concerning at 148 out of 148 countries. The event addressed this urgent call to action by exploring barriers such as lack of digital literacy, limited access to credit, and informal labour constraints, which disproportionately affect women-led SMEs and home-based workers.

The session brought together key stakeholders from government, thought leaders, development practitioners, private sector representatives, academia, and civil society, who actively engaged in a meaningful debate followed by a Q&A session to spotlight systemic challenges and explore inclusive pathways for women’s economic emancipation and digital empowerment in both formal and informal sectors.

Anchored in SDG 5 (Gender Equality), the event amplified women’s voices and innovation, called for public-private collaboration, and laid the foundation for scalable, gender-responsive economic solutions. Gender and fintech experts highlighted the role of women in driving economic growth, the barriers to their economic emancipation, significance of digital literacy, access to supply chains, and mentorship and skills-based training programs to support and formalize the women-led SMEs. The session ended with an action plan shared by WCCIL Founder, Dr. Shehla Javed Akram.

“To re-imagine a thriving and inclusive economy, we must enable women not just as beneficiaries, but as builders and leaders of the future,” remarked Dr. Shehla Javed Akram. The dialogue served as a pivotal step toward reshaping the landscape of financial and digital inclusion for women in Pakistan; one solution, one story, and one commitment at a time.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025