He was addressing the closing session on Women Leadership Development Program (WLDP) organized by RCCI in collaboration with USAID, Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity (PREIA) here.

Iqbal stressed for designing cultural industries, skill development programmes in women-intensive export sectors, access to credit for women-managed SMEs in export sectors. The participation of women in international exhibitions and delegations must be increased, he demanded.

He said the trade policies affect men and women differently, as more often than not women are constrained by structural gender inequalities such as low skill level, weak ability to negotiate wages or work conditions.

He urged the government to take a number of gender sensitive actions to enhance the positive contribution of Pakistani women in international trade, such as special incentives to encourage women in export-oriented service sector.