LAHORE – HomeNet Pakistan, in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), organised a Policy Dialogue on “Economic Empowerment of Women Micro-Entrepreneurs – A Road Map for Formalization.” The dialogue is part of HomeNet Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to support Women Micro-Entrepreneurs (WMEs), particularly in the garment and textile sectors, by advancing their financial inclusion and transition from informal to formal businesses. The event shared key insights and best practices from the Financial Inclusion through Business Booster Loans and Trainings (FBLT) Project, supported by JICA, and aligned these with future strategies under SMEDA’s upcoming national Technical Cooperation Program. It brought together diverse stakeholders, including government representatives, microfinance institutions, fintech innovators, and private sector actors to explore ways of strengthening digital and financial inclusion frameworks for women entrepreneurs. Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Ume Laila, Executive Director of Home Net Pakistan, noted that: “According to the Punjab HBWs Survey, 79% of women home-based workers are engaged in crafts and related trade, 80.5% are in the manufacturing sector, and 62.4% are self-employed. She further emphasized that the definition of women micro-entrepreneurs must be fully integrated across financial policies and programs to realign growth frameworks for women not only in Punjab but across Pakistan.
