05 January 2004	Monday	12 Ziqa'ad 1424

Gender-biased practices, a global phenomenon, apart from casting a negative effect on the social status of women, also impede their participation in the economic development programmes.

Resultantly, in a country like Pakistan women until recently not only had an insignificant representation in the total labour force, they also had a limited business ownership both in the urban and rural sectors. Women constitute almost 48 per cent of the total population. So,instead of categorizing them as a dependent segment of the population, they need to be motivated to actively participate in the economic process of the country.

In view of the limited direct employment opportunities, women need to be prompted to become self-employed. Accordingly, apart from creating a socio-economic environment where women can set up businesses on their own, they should also be motivated to explore new avenues where on account of their dexterity and skill and particularly in view of their aesthetic sense they can excel in their chosen field.

The writer during her association with the First Women Bank had encountered a peculiar challenge at the initial stage of the bank's establishment and that was how to motivate women to venture into non-traditional businesses, as women are generally faced with behavioural, management and technical constraints.

The typical social and culture pattern, still strong in some areas, has always given a subdued role of women in all spheres of life and thus has impacted their entire psychology. However, it is a matter of satisfaction that now a significant change is visible regarding women status in context of their accessibility to education and employment opportunities. The last decade has witnessed emergence of a large number of women entrepreneurs both in the urban and rural sectors.

In rural areas, until mid-90s women were found largely associated with farming, specially in livestock and poultry farming. Thereafter, the First Women Bank, in collaboration with various non-governmental organizations involved in the community development work in rural areas, conducted training programmes to develop entrepreneurial and technical skills in the areas of fish pond cultivation, fruit gardening, bakery products, tailoring and preparing packing material like fruit crates etc. On completion of their training, women desirous of setting up business of their own were provided micro loans.

In urban areas also a trend is noticeable among women for taking up diversified and non-traditional businesses. Women in cosmopolitan cities are seen running fast food restaurants and eateries. Some women entrepreneurs have also dared to enter the businesses which have hitherto been considered a man-only field like shipbreaking and film producing (both feature and documentary films), besides publication business.

In the suburbs of Islamabad, few women having adequate educational qualification, ventured into the greenhouse farming where they cultivate seasonal vegetables, fruits and flowers and also such fruits which can be grown only under particular climatic conditions. The greenhouses, which until recently seen as a new avenue of business in Pakistan, were found to be managed by women effectively and profitably.

There are certain non-traditional fields of business, which if treaded by women of any level of income with full determination they are bound to succeed. These businesses can be categorized as follows:

Catering: Catering is the most ideal business for women belonging to low and lower income groups. This is the basic skill they employ in the kitchen. As such, by operating from their own homes, they can make it a source of earning. They can create a market for their services by supplying lunch to employees in offices and educational institutions and can also supply desired dishes to household clients, who for one reason or the other, cannot cook themselves a variety of dishes for their invited guests.

Eateries: Moderate-size fast food restaurants and eating houses is another business in which women can excel in view of their aptitude and skills. These days, apart from food, decor of a restaurant also plays an important part in attracting customers. The aesthetic sense of a woman entrepreneur can help her in looking after both aspects of this business effectively. Owing to the fast turnover of restaurants and catering business, owners can enjoy a good profit margin provided rates of the food items offered are modest and location is within the reach of middle-income group families.

Garments: Textile sector also offers diversified business opening opportunities to women. Apart from some spinning and weaving units which are owned by women from affluent class, a large number of women from middle-income level have set up readymade garment factories. Majority of these factories on account of quality and exclusive designs of their products have captured a wide export market.

In the garments business, one needs a modest capital at the initial stage and if the owner is quick in response to the changing trends of the fashion world, a rapid growth in the business can be expected provided no compromise is made on quality.

In textile sector, there are vast business opportunities for women from low and lower middle income groups also. Women having expertise in embroidery work and tailoring can get orders/ business from large and medium-size garment factories for designer garments' embroidery and tailoring work. This simply requires investment in the range of Rs50,000 to Rs100,000 for purchasing sowing and embroidery machine. To begin with, they can operate from their homes and later, according to their business needs, can acquire a proper business place/ marketing outlet.

Women can also enter the woollen textile-related knitted items business. Machine-knitted sweaters, shawls, stoles, socks and gloves have a vast market both within and outside the country. Quite a number of women passed out from the textile designing institutes set up in Karachi and Lahore in the recent past. They can start on their own small projects for providing designing and printing services to big cotton textile units on a sub-contract basis. At present, 20 per cent of small and medium-size units in textile sector do sub-contracting with large units.

Food processing: Food processing is yet another line of business matching natural aptitude of women for cooking. Apart from preparing traditional items like jams, jellies, pickles and squashes, they can set up small plants with an investment ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs500,000 for preparing packed items like potato chips, chicken spread, mayonnaise, instant noodles, ketchup and sauces, etc. These consumer items ensure fast turnover and a wide profit margin. The raw material required in the business is mostly farm-based and available throughout the year in plenty due to the availability of cold storage facility at reasonable rates.

Some of the women have also ventured into the cold storage business with a moderate investment and found it quite lucrative.

Leather goods: Manufacturing of leather goods both on large and small scale has also been found a suitable business for women. Since all the exportable leather goods items are subject to frequent change in fashion and design, women having a strong aesthetic sense and an aptitude for designing are capable of giving an innovative approach to their business and thus can succeed. Leather goods like hand-bags, purses, jackets, coats and shoes, command a perennial export market. As such, women even with a moderate investment capacity can find good prospects in this business.

Interior designing: Interior designing and furnishing business should be a close preserve of women. Quite a number of women in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad have made a big name in interior designing and furnishing of houses and offices. The enrolment of women in architectural engineering and discipline of interior designing is rapidly increasing in related professional institutions. As such, women passing out from these institutions can start their own business with a modest capital. The success in this particular line of business depends totally on one's natural aptitude for creativity and innovation.

Electronic media and film producing: The advent of cable television has opened new vistas for women in films and drama production. Women already associated with the state-owned Pakistan television and its subsidiary channels, with a sizable investment can acquire a licence for starting a private channel to add to the sources of entertainment both within home and abroad. Besides, increasing number of private TV channels have created a demand for plays, documentaries and other programmes. Women having special aptitude for drama production can venture into this field.

Since in order to create employment opportunities in the country the government is providing various incentives, including easy institutional credit for setting up small and medium size industries/ projects, enterprising women must come forward to get hold of this opportunity.

Commercial banks and specialized financial institutions, in view of their very comfortable liquidity position have been given a free hand to meet the private sector's credit needs relating to micro, small and medium size projects in order to reduce unemployment and to arrest growing poverty in the country.

In view of the presence of micro-finance banks and specialized institutions like First Women Bank and SME Bank, which cater to the credit needs of women entrepreneurs and also provide counselling for business-related problems, women must venture into above suggested fields of business.

It is a globally recognized fact that women-owned businesses more often follow high quality and innovative strategies than businesses owned by men. Thus in view of dynamism and motivation among enlightened and upcoming women of Pakistan, one can see immense success potentials for them in various lines of business.