Promoting Women-led Startups Via IT Leads To Empowerment: Dr Alvi

News Desk

Islamabad: Pakistan urgently needed the financial inclusion of women to turn fifty percent of its population into a productive workforce. Assisting women with the promotion of their fledgling businesses through information technology is the quickest path to their empowerment, said President Dr Arif Alvi.

Speaking at an event for BizNet 2023 with the topic ‘Celebrating Diversity, Inclusion, and Pakistan Startups’, President stressed the importance of financial empowerment for women and other underrepresented groups, such as those with disabilities, for the development of the nation.

President Alvi underlined the importance of gender balance in organisations and corporations and asked them to make sure that women were represented in key positions of authority.

He said that technology may boost a company’s productivity and efficiency in the digital age. He noted that including women in IT-related startups could enable them to support themselves remotely.

Dr Arif said that women needed to be encouraged to become bank account holders in order to keep authority over their finances.

The culture and harassment are the two greatest barriers to women’s emancipation notwithstanding the rights outlined by Islam. It is crucial for society to take a pro-women stance by giving them chances and fostering an environment free from harassment, he opined.

President Alvi voiced concern over the fact that half of women who graduate from medical schools give up on their jobs after getting married, which represents a significant loss of talent. He suggested giving advice to spouses, parents, and female doctors to urge them to make the most of their professional potential. Both religion and the law of the land, supported women’s right to inherit but social evils frequently prevented this from happening, Dr Alvi further added.

The president regretted that the business loans for women offered by the State Bank of Pakistan were not even utilized by five percent of them. In this regard, the responsibility lies on women parliamentarians and other prominent women to effectively communicate the message to ensure gender equity. He mentioned that the Special Technology Zones Authority could also play a role in advancing the role of women in diverse fields of the economy.