PESHAWAR: Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) has demanded of banks to provide soft loans to those women, who want to establish their own business so that they can also play role in strengthening of local economy and alleviation of poverty.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, WCCI president Shamama Arbab also demanded equal participation of women in decision making process so that they could raise voice for their rights effectively.

She said that lending ratio of commercial banks was less than two per cent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the region was declared a ‘red zone’. She said that banks should launch special loan scheme for women entrepreneurs and advocacy programme to promote their businesses in the province.

Ms Arbab said that women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were talented and had potential to compete at every level but they needed opportunities. She said that their work was not recognised in an appropriate manner.

WCCI seeks representation of women in decision making forums

“For this purpose, the chamber has developed a draft policy to promote women entrepreneurship in the province,” she said and added that the chamber had undertaken a number of initiatives to promote their businesses at local, national and international level.

Ms Arbab said that the chamber launched a special programme to market products of businesswomen by developing linkages with their colleagues in other parts of the country. She said that the chamber provided facilitation services to women entrepreneurs under ‘one-window’ operation service.

Flanked by WCCI chairperson Fitrat Ilyas Bilour, vice president Umama Ishfaq and members of executive committee, Ms Arbab said that women industrial park would be set up to provide space to those skilled women, who wanted to establish their business in various trades . She added that the chamber with support of provincial government would return 25 per cent of their investment after establishment of their business.

Ms Arbab said that a women business international council would be set up to promote handicrafts of local women at global market. She stressed the need for economic empowerment of women. She demanded of the government to give equal representation to women in decision making forums and relevant bodies.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2017