Female entrepreneurs: Enforcement of existing laws urged to protect women at workplaces
WCCI sets up Youth Forum to train and encourage women to set up businesses.
WCCI sets up Youth Forum to train and encourage women to set up businesses.
PESHAWAR:
Shedding light on lack of protection for women at workplaces, businesswomen on Saturday said insufficient laws and gender imbalance have restricted female entrepreneurs from setting up new businesses.
During a training session organised by United Nations Women (UNW), members of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) complained only a handful of them are engaged in trading. The session was aimed at addressing gender issues and encouraging women to take up business initiatives. Female entrepreneurs were also invited.
“Lack of the enforcement of existing women protection and harassment laws at the workplace has hindered business activities in the province,” said WCCI member Saima Umer. She argued existing laws should be enforced to increase the confidence of women to increase their participation.
Though the WCCI had been set up a while back, it plays a minimal role in the province. The chamber consists mostly of housewives with the exception of a few business professionals who run small enterprises, including beauty parlors, boutiques and embroidery shops among others.
WCCI President Rokhi Zahir Shah said they have taken steps to develop the chamber and to show women how to run a business. “We have organised training sessions to make them successful businesswomen,” she added.
“Women do not consider themselves inferior,” said UNW’s Syed Wajid. Most women in the region, however, are gender sensitive and are limited by social and cultural constraints, due to which they only see them fit for household responsibilities, he added.
“The population of women and men is almost equal and, therefore, they [women] must change themselves to succeed at business.” He argued women have been bound by society and culture, which restricts them from becoming entrepreneurs.
He urged WCCI to try to streamline itself with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI). Steps could be taken to provide them with facilities like a daycare centre as all women here are housewives, he said.
WCCI’s Youth Forum Head Maryum Arshad said, “For the first time, the chamber has set out to encourage women to engage in business. The Youth Forum will train them on how to market their products in local and national markets and apprise them of their rights.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2013.
Shedding light on lack of protection for women at workplaces, businesswomen on Saturday said insufficient laws and gender imbalance have restricted female entrepreneurs from setting up new businesses.
During a training session organised by United Nations Women (UNW), members of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) complained only a handful of them are engaged in trading. The session was aimed at addressing gender issues and encouraging women to take up business initiatives. Female entrepreneurs were also invited.
“Lack of the enforcement of existing women protection and harassment laws at the workplace has hindered business activities in the province,” said WCCI member Saima Umer. She argued existing laws should be enforced to increase the confidence of women to increase their participation.
Though the WCCI had been set up a while back, it plays a minimal role in the province. The chamber consists mostly of housewives with the exception of a few business professionals who run small enterprises, including beauty parlors, boutiques and embroidery shops among others.
WCCI President Rokhi Zahir Shah said they have taken steps to develop the chamber and to show women how to run a business. “We have organised training sessions to make them successful businesswomen,” she added.
“Women do not consider themselves inferior,” said UNW’s Syed Wajid. Most women in the region, however, are gender sensitive and are limited by social and cultural constraints, due to which they only see them fit for household responsibilities, he added.
“The population of women and men is almost equal and, therefore, they [women] must change themselves to succeed at business.” He argued women have been bound by society and culture, which restricts them from becoming entrepreneurs.
He urged WCCI to try to streamline itself with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI). Steps could be taken to provide them with facilities like a daycare centre as all women here are housewives, he said.
WCCI’s Youth Forum Head Maryum Arshad said, “For the first time, the chamber has set out to encourage women to engage in business. The Youth Forum will train them on how to market their products in local and national markets and apprise them of their rights.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2013.