PESHAWAR: The Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) demanded the financial institutions to give soft loans to women intending to do business besides equal participation of women in decision making process.
Addressing a news conference at the chamber house on Tuesday, WCCI Peshawar President Ms Shamama Arbab lamented that the lending ratio of commercial banks is less than two percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the region had been declared as ‘red-zone’.
She said the banks should launch a special loan scheme for women entrepreneurs and advocacy programme to give boost to their businesses.
WCCI president said our women are much talented and have potential to compete at every level. However she added that their work was yet not recognized in an appropriate manner. For this purpose, she said the chamber had developed a draft policy to promote women entrepreneurship in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She said the chamber had strongly advocated the work of skilled women and has undertaken a number of initiatives to promote their work in local as well as other parts of the country.
Moreover, she said they had launched a special programme to give boost to business of women entrepreneurs and market their products by the development of linkages with businesswomen in other parts of the country.
She said the chamber should provide facilitation services to women entrepreneurs under ‘one-window’ operation service.
Flanked by chamber chairperson, Fitrat Ilyas Bilour, vice-president Umama Ishfaq and members of executive committee, Ms Arbab says the women industrial park will be set up to provide space to those skilled women wanting to establish their business in various trades there.
She added the chamber with the support of the incumbent provincial government will return 25 percent of their investment after establishment of their business.
Similarly, she disclosed that a women business international council, comprising women working here and other countries, will be set up, with an aim to promote the manufacturing handicrafts of women at global market.
She stressed the need for economic empowerment of women to contribute their due share to the development and progress of the country. She demanded equal representation of women on decision making forums.
