ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is all set to unveil its inaugural National Women Entrepreneurship Policy (WEP), a landmark framework designed to accelerate women’s economic empowerment through targeted financing, enhanced export opportunities, and expanded business support services.
Announced by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan during Women’s Entrepreneurship Day celebrations organised by SMEDA and FPCCI, the policy places women at the heart of national economic development, as directed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The policy sets ambitious targets: raising women’s employment in enterprises from 2% to 5%, increasing registered women exporters from 2,500 to achieve 50% representation, allocating 15% of the SME Fund and 5% of the Export Development Fund exclusively for women, expanding co-working spaces by 20%, and providing 100,000 women entrepreneurs with critical business information. It also aims to support 20% of BISP beneficiaries in disaster-prone areas.
A flagship component is the AI-powered Women Entrepreneurship Portal, developed with UK’s FCDO, which will connect women to mentors, regulators, and support organisations. Backed by a $2.2 million ADB programme, initiatives include digital training via basic phones, multilingual content, and dedicated efforts to formalise informal women-led businesses.
The policy further introduces green financing, export-readiness programmes, and a design cell at SMEDA in collaboration with top textile universities.