Speakers Recommend Technical Cum Financial Literacy For Home Based Women Worker

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Speakers recommend Technical cum Financial Literacy for Home Based Women Worker

Participants of a Dialogue on Economic Empowerment of Pakistani Women here Tuesday called for promotion of Technology cum Financial Literacy among local womenfolk

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Feb, 2018 ) :Participants of a Dialogue on Economic Empowerment of Pakistani Women here Tuesday called for promotion of Technology cum Financial Literacy among local womenfolk.

The event organized by Women Development Department of Sindh in collaboration with HomeNet Pakistan to mark the National Women Day 2018 was attended by financial experts, development consultants, entrepreneurs as well as researchers from across the province.

On the occasion many of the local small scale entrepreneurs had also placed on display their products drawing significant attention of the moot participants. Speakers referring to revolution in the field of Information Technology and easy availability of cell phones across the country said that the tool is needed to be promoted as means of development and progress in its truest sense.

Women Economic Empowerment - The Future of Pakistan; Thriving Businesses of Women Entrepreneurs - Opportunities and Challenges; Role of Private Sector in Supporting Women's Economic Growth;Reaching out to Marginalized Sector- Opportunities and Challenges; Government Commitments for Nurturing the Women business and Gender Base Issues; Policy Level Changes for Business Women;Possible Solutions for Fostering for Fostering Women Economic Empowerment were some of the topics explicitly deliberated during the program.

Registration of Home Based Women Workers and Women Workers associated with informal sector was strongly recommended to help tap their potential to the optimum through series of supportive interventions aimed at their capacity building.

It was emphasized that progress and development was not possible in isolation and therefore opportunities have to be created for women with equal attention towards the social barriers faced by them.

Rapid urbanization and series of changes registered in the lifestyle of the people was cited to be an opportunity to streamline the situation and help focus on family oriented approach. "Focus must not simply be on economic empowerment of women but on financial stability of family involving all members of family that may also help address the challenge of family disintegration," said Shamim Kazmi, a senior activist and President, Business, Agriculture and Professional Women Association.

Speakers agreed that there was also need to inculcate the culture of Self Employment among the people who largely appear to be "Job Centric".

Equally focusing on the needs of urban and rural based women workers cum entrepreneurs, speakers drew attention of the authorities towards importance of regularization of the economy.

Shadab Fariduddin a seasoned consultant in the field of development said globalization has not only posed series of challenges to the people but also paved way for series of opportunities. "Technology integration can help address may of the hindrances faced by home based workers and entrepreneurs," he said.

Mentioning that Pakistan is presently the third largest country in terms of earning foreign exchange through e.business, Fariduddin said there was no dearth of talent among local population who may further expand contribution to the national economy.

They mainly need proper guidance, he emphasized. The speaker also referred to numerous living examples of local women entrepreneurs who fast established their businesses (mainly food processing, confectionery, garments etc) at national as well as international level.

Hamid Raza of HomeNet shared his organization's experience of establishing incubations centres in low income areas as Landhi, Lyari, Qasba Colony, Orangi etc where women were trained to recycle used clothes and earning substantially through sale of their products at main shopping malls.

Occupational Health Strategist, Dr. Jamal Ahmad highlighted relevance of e.medicine for home based workers often faced restrictions related to their mobility. Tahira Raza, President, First Women Bank Ltd, Mukesh Kumar of Small and Medium Entrepreneurial Development Authority, Umme Laila Azhar, Mussarat Jabeen, Director, Women Development Department, Fasi ul Haq Siddiqui, Employers Federation of Pakistan also made their respective presentations on the occasion.

Mussarat Jabeen representing the provincial government said 6,500 women landless women farmers have been given free of cost land across the province while job quota for women has also been increased from five percent to 10%.

Umme Laila said efforts are underway to bring all NGOs working for women empowerment on a single platform. "Women Empowerment Network is being launched that will help deliberate the issue in a large perspective with a more focus and pragmatic approach to achieve the goal," she said.