Top businessmen urge for women empowerment for national development

President, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FPCCI), Zubair Tufail has said that women empowerment was central to the national development, urging government, as well as private sector to do their best to achieve this goal.

“Women empowerment not only benefits them but also help men, women, society, community and the overall economy of a country,” he said while speaking at the first ever, “Round-Table Discussion on Challenges, Suggestions, and Solutions,” arranged by Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI), in which majority of the women chambers from around the country participated.

He said that government had taken laudable steps for women empowerment but a lot was to be done as women are being denied their rights all around the globe which in turn compromises growth.

He expressed the hope that this roundtable would go a long way in the resolution of issues as there was a communication gap and lack of interaction among the various women chambers of Pakistan, adding that the decision to establish All Pakistan Women Chambers would help boost cooperation among women chambers.

Speaking at the occasion Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq said that increasing responsibilities and lesser opportunities along with narrow exposure have always been a great challenge for Pakistani women.

The issue of women empowerment has always been of supreme importance to opinion leaders, reformers, social analysts and political thinkers but women are yet to be allowed to live with dignity, he added.

The Senator said that women can play a due role in the economic development of Pakistan if empowered as today’s women are educated, confident and willing to work.

Just a slight motivation, support, and resources can make them do wonders, he said adding that it was time to recognize that enhanced women participation in modern society is mandatory in order to ensure a prosperous economy, he demanded.

Senator Ateeq said that government should help business women get affordable loans, network, have exposure and coordinate while every woman’s chamber should be given a plot so that a building can be established there.

Speaking on the occasion, Samina Fazil, founder President, IWCCI said that this discussion was held to bring women chambers closer so that they unite their strengths to ensure prosperity. She said that such events would be organized every year and all the new women’s chambers would be encouraged in every possible way.