KARACHI: Ending of almost 40-year cap on textile exports is heralding equal opportunities for women entrepreneurs, but it seems difficult for them to derive any benefit out of it. The reason is low capacity and non-availability of cheap finance for expansion.

There are hardly over 1,000 registered women entrepreneurs with various chambers and trade bodies and the majority is dealing in non-traditional items like jewellery, shoe-making, handicrafts, etc., and a very few of them are in the textiles export business.

At small-scale level it is very discouraging that the maximum limit of collateral-free loan is Rs1 million and that also for very specific businessmen and businesswomen, otherwise it is up to Rs300,000. "Can these women exporters undertake an big export order or expand their production capacity with this meagre amount?" Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairperson Dr Shela Javed Akram questions when she was asked to comment on opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the post-quota textile era.

Talking to Dawn from Lahore, she said the government should now take some serious steps and stop lip-servicing and come out with proactive policies and guidelines for making this opportunity a real benefit for businesswomen and women entrepreneurs.

"Though we have wasted very precious time, the government still can do a lot if it wishes to reduce unemployment and poverty," she said, adding that the quota-free regime offers a chance to increase country's share in global exports of textiles, which is presently below one per cent.

"Increased textile exports would have double impact. On the one hand it brings more forex earnings, and on the other the demand for our goods in foreign markets would open up more job opportunities in the local industry. As women are more than half of our total population, the government should encourage them so that they contribute towards achieving the goal of economic prosperity," she added.

"The opportunities for women entrepreneurs have always been there. The problem remains with the development of women entrepreneurs. Due to our social and cultural structure of society, very few women get the kind of exposure necessary to promote their businesses in the international market," said founder ex-chairperson of the FPCCI Standing Committee on Women Entrepreneurs, Arjuman A. Qazi.

She said that the lack of corporate grooming in running the business and managing international quality standards were a major reason for these businesses to remain at micro level.

"Further, there are no government policies to improve and enhance the role of women entrepreneurs in any market, nor does the government have any guidelines for the same," she added.

Regarding awareness about WTO-related issues, she said it was far from adequate even for established businesses. "Same is true for the government. The real impact of the WTO has not been fully understood by most of the people in Pakistan."- MK