Islamabad, June 17, 2014 – The United States held a “Women in the Workplace” seminar at the Islamabad Club today to highlight the importance of women’s role in the economy and emphasize the private sector’s role in supporting women-friendly policies in the workforce. The event, cosponsored by the Islamabad Club, brought together representatives from both large multinationals as well as grass-roots entrepreneurs to engage with a range of government officials, social entrepreneurs and private company representatives on the importance of creating opportunities for women to enter and excel in the Pakistani economy.
In his opening remarks, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson called for more female-friendly employment practices on a global scale. “Our shared economic potential is bright, but in order to achieve it, we need to encourage, cultivate, and harness the untapped talent and productivity of women across the globe. It must happen in every country on every continent. Achieving shared global prosperity is only possible if we reduce gender gaps in the workforce.”
Ambassador Olson also announced the United States Government’s support of the “WECREATE” project, a women’s entrepreneurship community center that will be based in Islamabad. The Center will provide new and emerging women entrepreneurs access to the mentorship and expert assistance they need to grow their businesses which has a multiplier effect on economies. The program is funded by the U.S. Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues Full Partnership Fund, which has a mandate to support gender equality and women’s empowerment initiatives.
