By Saddia Mazhar,
Today in this competitive world, women entrepreneurship (WE) and women empowerment plays significant role in the socio-economic development of all under developed countries like Pakistan. Women represent around 48% of Pakistan total population, while female employment participation is only 19-20 women took just 19 per cent of micro-finance loans compared to 82 per cent of men.
Pakistan has the lowest rate of female entrepreneurship in the world with women entrepreneurs accounting for barely a percentage of the country’s entrepreneurial community compared to the 21 per cent share by men .As per Labor force survey of Pakistan , contribution of female labor is around 13.4% in Agriculture and only 6% are engaged in non-agriculture sector (formal: 2% and informal: 4%).
The business environment for women in Pakistan reflects the complex interplay of many factors, which fall into two basic categories. The first is made up of social, cultural, traditional and religious elements. This aspect of the environment has taken shape over many centuries: it is anchored in the patriarchal system and clearly manifested in the lower status of women. The gender bias of this type of system is rigid and deep-rooted as it draws legitimacy from the perpetuation of a traditional mind-set, established rituals and a firm belief system.
The second group of factors derives from the first group, taking the form of constitutional structures, policy documents, regulatory arrangements and institutional mechanisms. This category is contemporary rather than traditional, so it is cosmetically impartial. The traditional systems pose difficulties for women in general and entrepreneurs in particular in two ways. First, they are inherently discriminatory; and second, they inhibit the equity-based composition of modern institutions and their fair working, as modern institutions are derived from traditional ones. According to the report published by International Labor Organization (ILO).
All these difficulties and hardships yet can not stop our women to flourish and continue their journey towards success. For this CONNECTED WOMEN(CW) is a strapping platform to guide and motivate all the women entrepreneurs in Islamabad Lahore and Karachi lead by Mrs.Tahmina Chowdhury, Founder of Insta Foods Lahore.
To build a strong, professional community that fosters growth, support and collaboration through the development of high-performing professional relationships, alliances and partnerships among women owners, executives and professionals is the purpose of our chapter,said Zeea Hassan Talib Team leader of Islamabad chapter of connected women(CW Islamabad) and Director of , NShield Solutions Pakistan & Dubai during an Eid Gala event organized by CW Islamabad .
I am a feminist but I do not believe on that feminism where you do not respect men, Rakhshanda Parveen express her feelings during the panel discussion on this Eid Gala by CW Islamabad. Rakhshinda Parveen is a gender expert, a public health specialist and a social entrepreneur.
she further added “When people see that this woman has no strong backing or support they don’t miss a chance to tease you. One has to pay a heavy price for being empowered and I have suffered so many losses only to gain from it on my own terms”.
Despite all the odds she says, “I might not be the winner but at least I have not quit”.
Such gatherings and regional networking is the need of time as this creates a lot of for crucial conversation that doesn’t happen otherwise or happens in silos and thus doesn’t impact change in the broader sense. By bringing together various stakeholders of innovation and entrepreneurship, zea and her team is encouraging collaborations between organizations that have the same agenda – the agenda of innovation and growth .
