ISLAMABAD
\nUN Women Pakistan hosted an event in Islamabad on Tuesday titled \u2018Shaping Tomorrow: Private Sector Engagement in Advancing Gender Equality and Women\u2019s Empowerment.\u2019
\nThe primary objective of the event was to advocate for greater involvement of private enterprises in driving gender equality initiatives, recognizing the critical role that businesses play in fostering inclusive economic growth.
\nBy engaging the private sector, UN Women seeks to create more opportunities for women\u2019s participation in the workforce, leadership roles, and entrepreneurship, as well as ensure that gender-sensitive policies are integrated into corporate practices.
\nIn her opening remarks, Maria Holtsberg – UN Women Country Representative a.i. emphasized the importance of collaboration with the private sector to achieve sustainable progress toward gender equality.
\n\u201cThe private sector has the power to accelerate the transformation we need for women\u2019s economic empowerment. By investing in women, businesses not only strengthen their operations but also contribute to the broader development of society,\u201d She further added, \u201cEmpowering women economically is a key to unlocking their full potential.
\nThis means ensuring equal pay for equal work, providing opportunities for women in leadership, and supporting women entrepreneurs.
\nWhen women have the means and opportunities to contribute economically, entire communities\u2019 benefit, leading to improved health, education, and social outcomes.
\nIn keynote remarks, Mr. Jam Kamal Khan the Minister of Commerce, highlighted the importance of digital inclusion as a pathway to economic equality. \u201c The private sector plays a major role in driving change, and today\u2019s event has showcased the need of collaboration in achieving gender equality.
\nTechnology is the great equalizer, and digital inclusion is the bridge to economic equality. By prioritizing digital inclusion, we can remove the barriers that have historically kept women out of the economic mainstream.
\nMinistry of Commerce, through its new e-commerce policy, will empower women by implementing various policies and facilitation measures,\u201d the minister asserted.
\nThe event also featured two insightful panel discussions. The first, \u201cLeveraging Digital and Financial Inclusion for Enhanced Livelihoods of Our Women and Girls,\u201d focused on improving access to finance and digital resources. Key speakers included Musarat Jabeen from SECP, who discussed improving access to finance for women entrepreneurs; Shumaila Rifaqat from Karandaaz, who spoke about promoting access to SMEs and financial inclusion; and Nadeem Malik from P@SHA, who addressed the gender digital divide. Ms. Rabia Khatak \u2013 Jazz shared insights on bridging the digital divide through technology and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
\nThe second panel, \u201cInvesting in Women\u2019s Leadership in the Private Sector,\u201d highlighted the importance of supporting women in leadership roles within the business sector.
\nThis discussion featured Ms. Nazia from JICA, Mr. Ehsan Malik, CEO of Pakistan Business Council, and Mr. Ashan Jamil, CEO of Ubuntu Care, who shared their perspectives on fostering women\u2019s leadership and driving systemic change in the private sector.
\nThe event saw strong participation from key stakeholders, including private sector companies, WEPs signatories, financial institutions, donors, and international organizations. Together they discussed and devised strategies for enhancing women\u2019s economic empowerment through private sector engagement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD UN Women Pakistan hosted an event in Islamabad on Tuesday titled \u2018Shaping Tomorrow: Private Sector Engagement in Advancing Gender Equality and Women\u2019s Empowerment.\u2019 The primary objective of the event was to advocate for greater involvement of private enterprises in driving gender equality initiatives, recognizing the critical role that businesses play in fostering inclusive economic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":430685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-430647","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n