SWABI: Speakers during a function at the Women University Swabi on Tuesday said women’s empowerment and imparting entrepreneurial skills to them could change their fate as well as the country’s economic landscape.

The event, titled Digital Startups Series Consultation, was organised by the UN Women and Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with WUS here.

Noted among participants were Zahid Nawaz of Durshal, Nazish Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board, Mehnaz Parveen of UN Women, Seoyeong Yang of Korea, Zainab Khan of UN Women, Mohammad Salman Khan of Swabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Amin Qureshi, director Incubation Center of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology and Rehma Riaz of Small and Medium Enterprises Authority.

The event brought together women-led microbusiness startups from different levels and female students from Swabi to share experiences, discuss challenges and explore opportunities in the digital economy.

Young women took interest in knowing how they could improve their business and how they strengthened their entrepreneurial skills.

Representatives from startups, entrepreneurs and students engaged in discussions aimed at enhancing digital empowerment and entrepreneurship.

The event highlighted Women University Swabi’s growing role as a hub for innovation and collaboration, strengthening its partnerships with UN Women and local business stakeholders in advancing women’s economic participation.

Seoyeong Yang of the KOICA highlighted Korea’s commitment to supporting such initiatives.

“KOICA is proud to partner with Women University Swabi and UN Women to create opportunities for women-led innovation. Korea firmly believes that digital entrepreneurship can transform women’s lives, families and communities,” she said.

Vice Chancellor of Women University Swabi Prof Ghazala Yasmin said innovation was the key to successful business.

“Our university is striving to help students and women entrepreneurs adopt digital tools for growth and competitiveness.

This initiative is the first step towards digitization for women who are already running businesses but need digital transformation to expand their impact,” she said.

Mehnaz Parveen of UN Women stressed the importance of digital empowerment for women.

“Women entrepreneurs need digital knowledge and access to tools to sustain their businesses. By bridging this gap, we can ensure women’s participation in Pakistan’s growing digital economy,” she said.

Zainab Khan of UN Women said projects like that were crucial for building pathways for women to thrive in the modern world.

“Digitisation is no longer an option, it is a necessity. By equipping women with digital tools, we are not only empowering them but also enabling them to contribute effectively to national development,” she said.

Stakeholders expressed commitment to continuing efforts in advancing women’s digital skills, fostering innovation and creating inclusive opportunities in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2025