SMEDA renews commitment to empower women entrepreneurs

LAHORE, Mar 10 (APP): Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) has marked the International Women’s Day 2026 with a renewed commitment to create an enabling business environment for women entrepreneurs and help them contribute meaningfully to the national economic growth.

SMEDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms Nadia Jahangir Seth told media here Tuesday that SMEDA, as per vision of the Prime Minister, is paying special attention to the development of women entrepreneurs and microenterprises.

“As the apex SME development organization, SMEDA is extending support to women entrepreneurs through several initiatives such as capacity building, digital and financial inclusion, and market access,” she said, adding that the women’s participation in economic activities is quite low despite the fact that they make up almost half of country’s population.

She said the organization, under guidance of the Ministry of Industries and Production, aims to unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs by reducing financial barriers, raising market awareness and supporting them with digital and AI-based training.

At the forefront of SMEDA’s efforts is Pakistan’s first National Women’s Entrepreneurship Policy and Action Plan – a landmark initiative which has been undertaken to provide an enabling ecosystem to help women entrepreneurs flourish and become equal partners in progress, she said and gave an overview of the women-specific development initiatives recently taken by SMEDA.

The Women Entrepreneurship Policy, she said, is expected to be approved by the Federal Cabinet soon after which SMEDA will vigorously implement its action plan through on-ground initiatives. The policy, among other targets, envisages a five percent increase in women’s employment, a  five percent rise in the number of women exporters and support for 3.2 million women entrepreneurs to enable them to contribute toward Pakistan’s ambitious USD 60 billion export goal over the next five years.

SMEDA is also addressing longstanding financial barriers for women-led businesses through the ADB Women Inclusive Finance Project (WIFP), which aims to expand access to credit and job opportunities.

The organization, over the years, has provided training and mentorship to women SMEs through its Women Business Incubation & Development Centers across country. It has trained almost 1,600 women all over the country under the Digital Literacy Program followed by an upcoming AI-powered ‘Women Entrepreneurship Platform’ which is designed as a “one-stop digital platform for access to relevant information and services.”

It is notable that SMEDA, at the recently held “Made in Pakistan – SME Cluster Showcase Expo 2026,” helped more than 100 women entrepreneurs representing 24 women chambers or associations and microenterprises in product visibility, interaction with new clients and effective linkages for future. As a follow-up activity, dedicated teams are now engaging with the women participants to provide on-ground support to enable them to scale activities and gain access to global markets.

In yet another significant development, SMEDA and the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, AJK, have resolved to strengthen women-led enterprises in Azad Jammu & Kashmir by providing targeted support and  integrating them into formal economy.

Earlier, SMEDA joined hands with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) to mark the International Women Entrepreneurship Day. The event proved a ‘resounding success’ with the participation of heads of 21 women chambers of commerce and industry from several parts of the country and the government’s resolve to help overcome the barriers they face.

SMEDA and FPCCI also hosted Sindh women chambers to bring the issues of women entrepreneurs to the fore and help them find solutions with the government support.