UNIDO Consultative sessions in Islamabad

UNIDO Consultative sessions in Islamabad

Al-Bab Report

United Nations Industrial Development Organization organized consultative sessions in Islamabad, Lahore & Karachi with the Pakistan Institution of Management (PIM) & the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industries. This session was held to ensure that all parts of society, particularly women, obtain full access to resources and opportunities and to become agents of change in order to contribute to the Sustainable industrial development of Pakistan. This is achieved by organizing multiple policy dialogues on gender responsive policy and regulatory framework, along with launching an Advocacy Campaign on Women in Green Industry.

“Green industry has great potential in enabling women entrepreneurs to become economically independent,” said Esam Alqararah, UNIDO Representative in Pakistan. In his keynote address, he added UNIDO has been working extensively to create a campaign that focuses on green industries, and furthermore, working to bring attention to the gender aspects in green industrial policy development. UNIDO has stressed the need for women to be provided with the opportunity to grow and mould into entrepreneurs. This campaign will work to creategender responsive policy drafts for women entrepreneurs for economic empowerment. This ensures that women’s participation in green industry increases. Also, UNIDO will commission research on and promoting higher recognition of female leadership in the expanding green industry space.

Director of PIM, along with a diverse number of Women organizations, launched the Business Growth Centre for Women in Karachi. This was followed by the launches in Islamabad & Lahore. Mr. Abid Hussain Sabri Congratulated UNIDO’s efforts & ensured the full support of PIM to run Business growth centres. He explained how economies are aligning with a sustainable pathway of growth by undertaking green public investments and implementing policy initiatives that encourage environmentally responsible investments. This is important as women bear the brunt of many challenges related to resources and opportunities, especially because these challenges arise from climate change and environmental degradation. He reiterated PIM’s commitment to support the Women Business Growth Centre (WBGC) launched in PIM’s premises in collaboration with UNIDO & ICCI.

Representatives from UN agencies and the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry discussed the importance of green industries, and how women can play a role in this. They emphasized the need for a campaign that empowers women, coupled with mitigating climate change and promoting clean energy. It was discussed how this campaign is a way forward for innovators and entrepreneurs.

“Entrepreneurship creates positive effects for the country,” said Mr. Tauseef Zaman, Representative of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, “I struggled as an entrepreneur as there are many ups and downs in the business, however, one should stay consistent in order to achieve success.” He appreciated the activities of the programme and agrees that the objectives are far-reaching.

A huge number of participation from women-led organizations, academia, media, & Women’s chambers from other UN agencies also spoke on the importance of this campaign, and how combined efforts from everyone can make this a successful campaign. Ms. Bilquis Tahira from the counterpart organization of ILO spoke on the role ILO has played, and her organization’s support towards Women in Green Industries. She acknowledged her appreciation of the responsibility UNIDO has taken on in this project, and also assured everyone of her organization’s continued support in the future. She mentioned the importance of empowering women through entrepreneurship development, as this is the key to success of our nation. Ms. Mehwish, representative from UN Women, introduced her organization and briefed everyone on the activities of UN Women, especially of the on-going efforts in interior Sind.  She also mentioned UN Women will continue supporting this campaign, and further made a point of her experiences in working with women entrepreneurs in the province of Sind and interior areas, and how this will go a long way in promoting women entrepreneurship in the green industry.