Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Development in Gilgit-Baltistan

Project Description

1.       Project Title:                      Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Development in Gilgit-Baltistan

2.       Project Nature:                                 Public Private Partnership

3.       Project scope:                   All administrative districts in Gilgit-Baltistan

4.       Project total cost (Rs.): 3,837,500

5.       Project duration:              12 Months

6.       Partner Organizations:

a.       Social Welfare Department, Government of Gilgit-Baltistan

b.      Linko International Private Limited

Abstract

Educating a woman means educating a family and empowering a woman means empowering society. The literacy rate in Gilgit-Baltistan has increased and on the rise every year. Compared to the overall country unemployment ratio (5.9%), Gilgit-Baltistan has the highest unemployment in the country which is 29.2%. because of the influx of educated men and women entering into the labour market, the unemployment ratio is increasing every year. Out of this 29.2% unemployment, 30% are men and 70% are women. This has put society on fire, anxiety, frustration, nepotism, suicide etc. making it an imbalance schizophrenic society. Every year around 25% is absorbed in the public sector and the rest of them are left for the private sector. In a situation, Linko International has provided a central professional platform for job seekers connecting demand and supply. Over 400 people, youth and women have been placed across private-sector agencies amicably. Out of several reasons of unemployment, lack of skills among the women and youth is a major factor. The proposed project will help not only skilling the youth and women but also giving them employment. Promoting self-employment will help reducing unemployment and burden on the government.

Introduction

On 21 January 2016, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced the first-ever High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment to provide leadership and mobilize concrete the action aimed at closing the economic gender gaps that persist around the world. Women’s economic empowerment has been an important agenda for achieving women’s emancipation and equality. Women’s economic empowerment also has benefits for family wellbeing and health. Women with access to economic opportunities have expressed increased self-esteem, dignity, independence, enhanced capacities, and empowerment.

Empowering women is a prerequisite for creating a good nation, when women are empowered, the society with stability is assured. Empowerment of women is essential as their thoughts and their value systems lead to the development of a good family, good society and ultimately a good nation (Kalam, A. 2011). Innovation has no gender line, yet women entrepreneurs often have to work harder and smarter to be recognized in an arena that is still mostly male-dominated. Women have always been drivers behind great successes from time immortal. It is unfortunate that their contributions are not being recognized until now. A strong woman understands that the gift such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection

Educating a woman means educating a family. The role of women in our society has changed and requires a change drastically in the coming years for the better. The gender stereotypes which were more prevalent in society decades ago are breaking slowly. But there is still a long way to go. Women constitute around half the total (49.2 percent) Pakistan’s population but their participation in the economic activities is only 21.6 percent (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Out of which about 70 % are engaged in agriculture. Only 2.77 per cent of women are working as self-employed (Sarwar, F., Abbasi, A. S., 2013).

Women bring a different set of perspectives to problem-solving that can enhance the quality of the solution. Women bring a unique set of issues and experiences that can help in decision making enhancing the quality of the decision. The influx of more women into the workforce has led to significant economic growth and productivity. Fewer women have become entrepreneurs, meaning their potential to contribute towards innovation, job creation, and economic growth has been untapped yet.

Women entrepreneurs have a unique tendency to build and maintain long-term relationships. They have more effective communicational, organizational and networking skills than their male counterparts. Moreover, their fiscally conservative approach reduces the risk of failure of their organizations. Women can start new businesses that cater to a totally different market or niche than their male counterparts. Enabling women, particularly as entrepreneurs, benefits future generations because women tend to spend more on their children’s education and health, which should boost productivity as well. Overall, more women entrepreneurs account for improved economic growth and stability within a country.

Women entrepreneurs inspire other women to start businesses. This leads to more job creation for women which ultimately helps in reducing the gender gap in the workforce. When women become successful in a field, the next generation of women is more likely to emulate their success. Narrowing the gender gap in employment will increase global income per person by as much as 20% by 2030 (Burch, T. 2013). Government and Corporate Institutions need to come together to address the gender gap issue in entrepreneurship which can begin a new era of Women-led growth.

In low GDP countries, entrepreneurship can provide a way out of poverty for women faced with few other opportunities. Woman entrepreneurship can lead to tremendous social change, making women financially empowered and independent. That can increase levels of confidence and happiness in women, as the satisfaction of achievement and self-sufficiency can boost their self-esteem and overall well-being. Broadly read stories of successful women will provide encouragement to attract more women to the field and show them the way. In short, if we want a more prosperous and innovative economy, we can’t leave half of our population behind.

Rationale

The Labour Market Assessment Report shows women’s labor force participation rate 15.5 percent in Gilgit-Baltistan compared to 22.2 percent in Pakistan (AKRSP, 2014). The region is dominated by agrarian communities with a large rural population engaged in subsistence agroforestry-livestock-based production on increasingly fragmented landholdings. On the other side, female literacy is increasing every year. Educational institutions are awarding degrees among thousands of female graduates but there are very limited and restricted opportunities for female graduates. More than 70 % of unemployment among the total unemployed graduate populations is female. The same percentages of suicidal cases represent almost 70 % female and less than 30 % are male.

In such a grieved situation, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises are a crucial way of promoting women’s economic empowerment to overcome poverty, unemployment and gender inequity. To take this forward, conducting training on ‘how to initiate enterprises’ supplemented by the business incubation services are important aspects of women empowerment and development.

Many women in several families are the only breadwinners for their families, and also the ‘bread makers’. However, their real entrepreneurial potential remains largely untapped for three principal reasons: social norms and traditional values, inadequate access to financial services, and inadequate business skills and access to markets.

Social norms and traditional values hold women back from fully participating in economic activities. Social norms and traditional patriarchal systems continue to create a barrier to women’s full participation in economic activities. Often women’s abilities and potential are undervalued and questioned. Women’s networks and associations have the potential to increase women’s self-esteem and their access to a range of services. A serious but continuous awareness campaign towards the promotion of women entrepreneurship is unavoidable in the prevailing situations and to impact the future.