Enabling participation of women led businesses in Pakistan

 

Stepping into the frontlines of inclusive policy making

Islamabad: Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITAD) jointly organized a seminar to support women entrepreneurs and exporters associated with the Islamabad and Mardan Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

“I found the seminar particularly useful because I gained knowledge about issues that women face regularly in public advocacy for trade,” said Ms Naima Ansari from the Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ms Naima participated in a seminar held in Islamabad and jointly organized by the Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITAD) for women entrepreneurs and exporters associated with the Islamabad and Mardan Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

More than 50 women working in small businesses providing beauty products, apparel, kitchen gardening, cookery, sewing and handicrafts attended.

Trade and related areas are not among the traditional roles considered suitable for women in Pakistan. As a consequence, only 22 members of chambers of commerce and industry in the country are women.

Director General, Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development Mrs. Raheela Tajwar, speaking on the occasion, encouraged participants to take full benefit of the ‘Workshop on Research and Advocacy’.

A series of seminars were held across Pakistan through the Revenue Mobilisation, Investment and Trade (ReMIT) programme in which over 140 women were trained and equipped to find their place in international value chains.

Effective coordination with the Women Chambers, Regional Chambers, Directorate General of Training & Research Customs, Karachi Chamber, Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Quetta Chamber & Federation of Chambers Of Commerce & Industry alongside multiple business associations and bodies ensured the encouraging participation of women.

Participants learnt about market research based public advocacy and were encouraged to think about how they could use public forums such as their trade and business associations, chambers of commerce, and others to lobby and advocate for reform and change under the umbrella of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which Pakistan ratified in October 2015.

Around 50 business women participated in seminars on the TFA in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Faisalabad, and Sialkot. They learnt how the TFA facilitates international trade by reducing the time and cost of doing business as well as hearing about. Salient TFA reforms Pakistan has implemented.

As a result of this training, businesswomen will be able to discuss effectively with stakeholders and the government for inclusive policymaking. Furthermore, improved communication with border agencies will help them to increase their cross-border business.

Inclusion and continuous engagement with women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in partnership with the different chapters of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pakistan, will help improve women’s confidence to trade and build capacity for compliance with international trade requirements.

The ReMIT programme is being implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC). It is funded by the United Kingdom Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Increased participation of Pakistani women-owned enterprises in international trade and advocacy initiatives are also the focus of the project. The GBP five million projects will run from 2020-2024.