Anis Haroon, Minster for Women Development & Human Rights Government of Sindh lauded the role of the First Women Bank in Women's economic empowerment by helping them to promote their skills and talents. Addressing the certificate distribution ceremony for participants of FWBL's Capacity Building & Skill Development Training Programme, she said that a revolving fund is being created to provide soft loans to women through First Women Bank Ltd.
There can be no meaningful progress if women, who comprise half of society, remain out of the mainstream of society and do not have access to opportunities, including those of quality education, healthcare, employment, protection from violence, and participation in decision-making processes in society, as well as ensuring their rights, she said.
Earlier in her welcome speech Shafqat Sultana, FWBL President said that FWBL will continue to offer capacity building and skill development trainings and other services as a key means of training and facilitating future women entrepreneurs and for providing opportunities for enhancing women's employability in various sectors. Around 75 trainees of four programmes were awarded the certificates in the areas of Fashion Designing, Computer Skills and Beauty.
Aurat Foundation has awarded a grant of Rs 13.8 million to First Women Bank Ltd under the Gender Equity Programme supported by the American people through USAID. The pilot project is covering two FWBL Business Development & Training centres (BD & TC) in Karachi and Lahore for a period of two years. The main objectives of the programme are to enhance women's entrepreneurial development and employability through capacity building and skill development, to provide trainings in core subjects related to women's entrepreneurship/ employment and to facilitate access to loans through FWBL to successful trainees for initiating entrepreneurial activity. More than 400 women have so far completed training in the areas of Business Entrepreneurship, Marketing & Product Packaging, Food Production, Tailoring, Fashion Designing, House Keeping, Computer and Beauty.
GEP is a 5 years programme implemented in Pakistan by Aurat Foundation in collaboration with 'The Asia Foundation'. The programme aims at advancing women's human rights and empowerment in pursuance of the gender policies and aims of the Government of Pakistan.-PR
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