Women urged to compete with challenges for empowerment
KARACHI: Former president of the First Women Bank (FWB), Khatoon has urged the new generation, especially girls that they must make themselves able to compete with the world challenges for empowerment.
Minister for Labour, Transport, Industries and Commerce Adil Siddiqui was the chief guest. She informed the audience that despite having 32 percent of women workforce, they have no share in the gross domestic product (GDP). She said that it was the responsibility of the Ministry of Women Development and Works to seek a right direction to the issue.
The fact is that after celebrating above six decades of independence, the country does not have a clue about the contribution made by its women population in the GDP.
Khatoon attributed the reason to lack of skills among the women in rural and even in the urban areas. She appreciated the role of Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, which is the best in providing loan facilities to its clients.
She urged banks to improve services and provide better facilities to the working women and proudly said that the FWB was trying to do all best. She asked girls to make themselves inevitable for the desirable, as work hard is the only way to make their future bright.
Banking sector should concentrate on creativity to keep their customers satisfied. She emphasized the need for improving marketing skills to get the purpose, adding the banks must arrange training programmes for better productivity.
She cautioned the girls that if they were keen to join any business or job, they must be prepared to to far-flung areas, which are now not very unusual after the introduction of mobile banking system.
She thanked the government for setting up the FBP, which is helping women for micro-business or micro financing.
The current dispensation proved equally inept. With all the government claims of enlightened moderation and promotion of westernised images of Pakistani ladies in media, the country missed years even the millennium development goal Preferred target year of 2005 to achieve GPI (gender parity index) 1.0 in primary and the secondary education.
There are reports that in certain districts in NVY’FP girl schools were closed and parents of the girl students were threatened against sending their daughters to schools.
Managing Director of Avis Charles Associates, Avis Charles stressed the need to continue struggle if women wanted to become successful entrepreneurs.
Sultana Siddiqui, chairperson of Hum Tv, sharing her view said: “we should have to change our life patterns to make ourselves able to tackle all kind of circumstances at home or international level.
Mehreem Illahi, Secretary General, Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) said that today’s women were tryling to improve their which no doubt would help them in tackling the new world challenges.
Chairperson of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Standing Committee on Women Entrepreneurs, Dr Shala Javad Akram highlighted the women’s efforts to improve their fives in rural or urban areas.
Here are some examples such as Vandana Lunthra launched VLCC in 1998. VLCC beauty services business currently spans really 102 location in 52 cities across India and five locations in the UAE.
By 2008, VLCC plans to expand to 300 centers in India and will have access to additional five countries with a total of 29 centers in the Middle East, including Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
She also said that the ‘niche exploitation’ business model has been the basic for the successful of many women entrepreneurs. She said that another example is Mary Kay Ash. Her cosmetic business grew steadily, helped by Ash’s positive, philosophy and her generous use of incentives,
she said.
‘She said that in Pakistan, the example of niche-identification are Jahanara, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fuzon Bakery, Naina Akbar, CEO, Nina Waqar, CEO PIECES of Passion designs, Shaista Riaz, CEO Shahnawaz Brothers Crochet House, Mehvish Hadi, CEO Wax Wonders Candle Business, Madeeha, CEO of Madeeha’s Beauty Salon.
She said that the women-led businesses remain a minority in Pakistan. They are being underestimated as economic agents, as well as the gender bias embedded in the development policies pursued so far. Many women in Pakistan have carried a double burden, that because of
being poor and being women.
The World Bank country gender profile of Pakistan deplores the fact that status of women in Pakistan is among the lowest in the world.
She said that the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP 1996) describes the strong ‘inside and outside’ dichotomy in Pakistan, where women are restricted to the inside space of home and household.
This restricts women’s access to education, employment, training opportunities and social service.
Commenting on the role of women in media, Kully Dhadda Managing Director, Flame Public Relation Company, UK, said that the issues relating to the women should be raised in a positive manner. She said the kind of ideas and ideologies that are being perpetuated by the media about
the women, whether they allow the women the right to express and be heard.
She said that in business and marketing the BBC and CNN were playing a very positive role and helping women in promoting business world over.
Seema Tahir, Chief Executive Officer of TV One said the media was playing its role to make the women able for the empowerment.
Dr Shala Javad Akram also said that the women should have to come forward.
Noman Saigal, adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Information Technology (IT) said that the government was trying to provide the IT facilities at the urgent basis at schools and other academic institutions as soon as possible.
At the end of the conference Minister for Labour,Transport, Industries, and Commerce Adil Siddiqui gave awards to Shehla Jawed Akram for best business lady, Mahreen Elahi for best entrepreneur, an official of Pak Arab Bank for best banker, Sharmeen Saeed Khan for best sports,Keshmala Tariq MNA, special award, Quiley Daddah for best reporting, Justice (Retd) Majida Rizvi for life Achievement and Avis Vloria Charles for best entrepreneur.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:6/18/2007
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