Call for SME Policy for Women Entrepreneurs

APP

Lahore: The participants of the First Private Sector Consultative Session have unanimously supported the formulation of a separate SME policy for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan.

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and FCDO-funded organization ReMIT jointly organized the session at a local hotel on Tuesday.

Dr Shehla Javaid Akram, founder and president of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, addressed the session as the keynote speaker. Nadia Jehangir Seth, GM Policy and Planning of SMEDA, and Usman Khan, Investment and Climate Financing Expert of REMIT, also spoke on this occasion.

Stakeholders and participants in the session demanded a level playing field for the women entrepreneurs of Pakistan to make them active contributors to the national economy. The speakers were of the view that the development of an exclusive Women Entrepreneurship Policy (WEP) and Action Plan would prove to be a game changer in the economic development of Pakistan.

It is encouraging that ReMIT, UKAid, ADB, and UN Women were key partners in this initiative.

The session brought together women entrepreneurs from various business sectors, development partners, and governmental representatives to discuss the foremost challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Pakistan.

Earlier, the session was given an overview of the current women entrepreneurial landscape by SMEDA and ReMIT teams, which was followed by a breakout group activity on the themes of access to finance, market access, regulations, licensing and taxation, and business development services. These sessions facilitated vibrant discussions and the exchange of ideas, leading to practical recommendations for policy formation. The activity brought forward productive guidelines for the development of comprehensive and supportive women.

Entrepreneurship Policy and Action Plan. The session demonstrated a strong commitment from all stakeholders towards creating an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan.

SMEDA GM for Policy and Planning Nadia Jehangir Seth extended gratitude to all participants and partners for their valuable contributions and looked forward to continued collaboration in advancing women’s entrepreneurship in the country.