Skills, access to capital key to women's role in economy

At the 29th Sustainable Development Conference, experts called for women’s skills programmes to connect participants with employment, customers and financing, while accounting for unpaid care duties, The Express Tribune reported. MNA Shaista Pervaiz Malik said relevant training, safe access to public spaces, market connections and capital were important to raising women’s participation in economic activity.

L’Oreal Pakistan CEO Rehan Saeed said women account for about half of the population but their labour force participation is around 24%. He argued that training has greater value when paired with jobs, mentoring and support for businesses; speakers also urged stronger workplace harassment protections and action on the legal and social obstacles women face.

UNDP’s Van Nguyen described a Vietnam initiative that connected women entrepreneurs to digital tools, markets and mentoring through 100 cooperatives. Former Punjab Social Protection Authority vice chair Jahan Ara Manzoor Wattoo said the Khud Mukhtar programme gives young married couples productive assets worth up to Rs150,000, including livestock, tools or business equipment.