PESHAWAR: Speakers at a dialogue on Thursday underscored the importance of concrete legislative reforms to empower women-led businesses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The dialogue, arranged by the Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) in collaboration with the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) Dir, was attended by industry experts, government officials, women entrepreneurs, business community representatives, TEVTA officials, elected local government members, civil society organisations and others.

According to a statement, the event focused on strategies and initiatives designed to support women entrepreneurs and their businesses across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

It was stated that the CGPA’s project manager, Khalfan Khattak, underscored the unwavering commitment to empowering women’s chambers of commerce by fostering an enabling environment that promoted participatory democracy and opened reliable opportunities for women-led businesses at the provincial level.

The chief guest, Special Assistant to CM on Population Welfare Liaqat Ali Khan highlighted the importance of creating a more inclusive and supportive legislative environment for women entrepreneurs.

He advocated for enhanced collaboration between key government departments, including Population, Commerce and Industries, and Technical Education, to amend existing trade-related acts and policies for more progressive economic growth.

Ms Shahezat, senior vice president of WCCI, spoke about the vital role of women’s chambers in revenue generation at the district level.

She outlined the barriers faced by women-led businesses and emphasised the importance of targeted support mechanisms to help overcome these challenges, enabling more women to participate in economic activities.

She also demanded a permanent building from the government to ensure stability and effective operations.

Syed Noor Alam Badshah, the group leader of the Dir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, assured the members of WCCI that they would receive full support in the upcoming expo.

He said the general chamber would provide complete cooperation and free support for business marketing.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2024