Women Entrepreneurs Showcase Artefacts

Afshan Qureshi

Islamabad: Young women entrepreneurs showcased their various handmade artefacts, which included furniture, rugs, bedding, and jewellery, in Islamabad on Thursday. The workshop focused on alleviating the abysmal economic conditions of women in our society.  This was to demonstrate the importance of women’s empowerment through economic development. Five outstanding women speakers shared their success stories, which included Nobel Prize laureate Ouided from Tunisia and Roshanay Zafar of the MD Kashf Foundation.

Indonesia Ambassador Adam M Tugio said: “If women are made self-sufficient, nations rise.” NCSW Chairperson Nilofar Bakhtiar said:  “18 economies of the world still have draconian laws which allow men to prohibit their wives from working. However, once women are economically empowered, it has a multiplier effect on the well-being of the family.” Ambassador of Jordan Ibrahim Al Madani called for a proactive approach from the governments to ensure women are provided with equitable economic resources to excel in their respective fields.

The 1st session focused on pioneering Muslim Women attaining leadership roles in economic growth and was attended by eminent panellists and the ambassadors of Indonesia, Tunisia and Jordan.  The speakers at event emphasized that the women have served Pakistan as outstanding leaders such as Fatima Jinnah and Benazir Bhutto. National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW), in collaboration with the Embassies of Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey, launched a series of International workshops on best practices from women’s breakthrough leadership in economic affairs, human development, politics and policy making, at the Indonesian Embassy.