Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Wednesday, 17 May 2017 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Charumini de Silva
South Asia›s Women Leadership Summit 2017 will kick off today in Colombo under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with the participation of over 200 delegates from SAARC countries to address issues related to women empowerment and their participation in the economic development of the region.
Organised by the Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) Sri Lanka together with the SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurs Council (SCWEC) under the aegis of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the summit will bring together high-achieving and the most sought-after women leaders, entrepreneurs, start-up investors, media professionals and mentors to support women entrepreneurship and leadership through participatory presentations, workshops, panel discussions and more.
The one-day forum will address key issues including imperatives for sustainable empowerment of women, ways to enhance women’s participation in economic development and identifying opportunities for women in South Asia. It will also analyse policies favourable to women entrepreneurship development and create awareness over trading through e-commerce platforms.
WCIC Chairperson Rifa Musthapha will be taking over the leadership of SCWEC from her predecessor Shaista Pervaiz Malik of Pakistan at this event.
“As more women are making their mark as leaders in various fields today in the SAARC region - both in the economic and political space - the positive impact to the economy of each country is still a long way off. It is imperative that we help accelerate the understanding of the importance and advantages of having women leaders in building bigger, bolder, smarter businesses today,” Musthapha told journalists in Colombo yesterday.
“On the other hand, it is also necessary to celebrate the positive changes that occurred, learn from the experiences of women who have succeeded, examine the obstacles faced and analyse concrete steps to overcome these challenges which the summit hopes to achieve,” she added.
SCCI Executive Director Hina Saeed stressed that the ecosystems to support women entrepreneurship were a concern the region needed to address.
“Development without women participation will go nowhere. It is important that we create more opportunities and provide the right support socially and economically to empower women in the South Asian region. All we need is a concentrated effort and positive mindset,” she pointed out.
Poor health, a lack of education, inadequate financial inclusion, a lack of safety and lesser opportunities in leadership roles and decision-making were outlined as major challenges that needed immediate attention.
Saeed also expressed her confidence in the new leadership of Musthapha to address these issues prevailing in the SAARC region.
High-level gender specialist Anna-Karin Jatfors, Deputy Regional Director, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, will be a speaker along with Women’s Affairs Minister Chandrani Bandara together with businesswomen from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India and the Maldives who will discuss topics such as women and trade, imperatives for enhancing women’s entrepreneur development and women managing modern careers.
The summit will provide 200 businesswomen across all sectors and industries with opportunities to network, learn and advance their leadership skills. Delegates include business owners, company directors and senior Government officials from the SAARC region.
The principal sponsor of the event is MAS Holdings, with sponsorship from the Prime Group and Ministry of Industry and Commerce as well. The hospitality partner is Fairway Colombo and travel partner is SriLankan Airlines with support sponsorships from Bank of Ceylon, the Abans Group, Foresight Engineering and Unique Holidays.
-Pic by Ruwan Walpola
