For
the last three years,
Pakistan High Commission
in Bangladesh has been
playing an active role
in promoting women entrepreneurship.
Roubina Taufiq Shah,
Commercial Secretary
of High Commission for
Pakistan in Dhaka, informs
ET that through a number
of initiatives a strong
connection between Pakistani
and Bangladeshi women
entrepreneurs has been
built. "Today,
Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs
are attending exhibitions
in Pakistan and Pakistani
women are attending
those in Bangladesh."
With the High Commission's
assistance, Bangladeshi
women have been able
to participate in various
events in Pakistan,
including E-commerce
Gateway in 2005-where
they were given stalls
and accommodations for
free- SAARC Trade fairs
in 2005 and 2006, and
Karachi Exhibition in
2005.
In the early 90's, the
government of Pakistan
began to look into ways
of how to help foster
women entrepreneurship.
The task was not easy,
though. In 1993 -even
though there were a
number of women entrepreneurs
in the country at the
time-the government
faced practical difficulties
in putting together
a delegation of women
entrepreneurs to attend
an orientation programme
on marketing at the
invitation of the European
Union. "At that
time we realized we
needed to do a lot to
promote women entrepreneurs,"
says Roubina.
Subsequently, the Export
Promotion Bureau of
Pakistan (PEPB) played
a vital role in carrying
out comprehensive promotional
activities for Pakistani
women entrepreneurs.
But there were challenges.
Roubina, who was in
the PEPB team then,
observes that unlike
men, women did not have
opportunities of selling
their products within,
let alone outside, their
country. Even those
who were successful
entrepreneurs in local
markets failed to export.
"We targeted a
few potential women
entrepreneurs and helped
them to acquire and
develop special skills
in their fields, through
trainings and other
means. They learnt how
to develop the quality
of their products and
market them for export.
Today these women are
exporting handicrafts
and dress materials
to Dubai, EU and...
|
