Islamabad, September 10, 2024: Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, underscored the importance of digital inclusion as a key driver for economic equality during his keynote address at the “Shaping Tomorrow: Private Sector Engagement in Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” event, hosted by UN Women Pakistan in Islamabad.
He highlighted the critical role of the private sector in advancing gender equality, stressing that technology can serve as a “great equalizer” for women’s empowerment.
“The private sector plays a major role in driving change, and today’s event has showcased the need for collaboration in achieving gender equality. By prioritizing digital inclusion, we can remove the barriers that have historically kept women out of the economic mainstream,” Minister Jam Kamal Khan stated.
He further announced that the Ministry of Commerce, through its new e-commerce policy, will implement various initiatives aimed at empowering women through policy and facilitation measures.
The event, which focused on the role of private enterprises in fostering gender equality, aimed to advocate for more robust participation from businesses in supporting women’s economic empowerment, leadership roles, and entrepreneurship.
In her opening remarks, Maria Holtsberg, UN Women Country Representative a.i., echoed the minister’s call for private sector engagement. She emphasized that “empowering women economically is key to unlocking their full potential,” and noted that investing in women contributes not only to business success but also to broader social development, including improved health, education, and social outcomes.
Two panel discussions at the event further explored key issues related to women’s empowerment. The first, titled “Leveraging Digital and Financial Inclusion for Enhanced Livelihoods of Our Women and Girls,” featured speakers from SECP, Karandaaz, P@SHA, and Jazz, who discussed enhancing access to finance and bridging the gender digital divide.
The second panel, “Investing in Women’s Leadership in the Private Sector,” brought together leaders from JICA, the Pakistan Business Council, and Ubuntu Care to discuss strategies for fostering women’s leadership in business.
The event saw strong participation from private sector companies, WEPs signatories, financial institutions, donors, and international organizations, all working together to create pathways for women’s economic empowerment through private sector engagement.
