LAHORE: Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have inked an agreement for capacity enhancement of women entrepreneurs in the informal economic sector of Punjab.
SMEDA Chief Executive Officer Socrat Aman Rana and Ms. KOMAHASHI Rie, Head of JICA Mission, signed the agreement at a ceremony held at SMEDA Head Office.
SMEDA CEO Socrat Aman Rana welcomed the JICA Mission and highlighted the project’s importance for the economic development of women entrepreneurs. He said that enhancement of women entrepreneurs was the priority of both provincial and federal government in Pakistan. He assured to work hand in gloves with JICA to achieve objectives of the agreement.
Head of JICA Mission Ms. KOMAHASHI Rie, expressing her views in the signing ceremony, expressed satisfaction on collaboration with SMEDA in the women entrepreneurs’ empowerment initiative. She said, “It’s a challenging project but, it will prove to be a breakthrough to overcome barriers faced by micro-level women entrepreneurs.”
It is notable that the initiative titled as Project for Capacity Enhancement of Women Entrepreneurs in the Informal Economic Sector in Pakistan, is the culmination of a series of meetings and consultations between SMEDA, JICA, and relevant public and private sector stakeholders in Punjab. The five-year project (2026-2030) envisages development of a Women Entrepreneurs Booster Package (WEBPA) to facilitate business growth of the women entrepreneurs. It will also provide comprehensive support through a multi-stakeholders forum, which will mobilize public and private organizations along with SMEDA to enhance women entrepreneurship in Punjab.
The project will formulate a Scale-up Strategy and Action Plan (SUSAP) for the application of WEBPA with the goal of extending its benefits to women entrepreneurs across Punjab and other regions of Pakistan.
