Self-Employed Women's Fund
Introduction, Objectives and Method
Introduction
Self-Employed women in Pakistan are playing a significant role in Pakistan's economy, but their role is invisible which needs recognition. These women in informal sector are overlooked by the Govt. of Pakistan. 73 labour related laws in Pakistan but none of them is relevant to self-employed women. However, Federal government is formulating a national policy on home based working women which would announce in middle of the current year. Sindh Assembly passed resolution on the legal status of home based working women.
Self-employed women belong to the poor and illiterate households. They get work through middleman. Unawareness, gender disparity in education, lack of decision making makes them more vulnerable. The major problem is their ack of knowledge about financial assistance for their socio-economic conditions which will lead to work security. income security, food security and social security. Self-Employed Women's Fund is established to fulfill that purpose to provide financial assistance for their development and prosperity.
Objectives
The objective is to establish the Self-Employed Women's Fund for the development and prosperity of Self-Employd women are:
1. Education and Information
2. Networking
3. A Support System
a) Micro-Credit Financing
b) Technology Transfer
c) Management Skills
4. Self-Employed women's organizations should be formed under their supervision at the grass root level.
5. Loans will be provided according to their skills.
6. Focus should be on women from the poorest household.
7. Through income generating programe increase their income and improve progress.
8. To exhibit their work in their presence.
9. Training courses, workshop and model centers will be conducted in their areas.
10. To make women autonomous and self-reliant, individually and collectively, both economically and in terms of their decision-making ability
Method
Loan will be given to those self-employed women wo are running small businesses from in their homes. Members of advisory board will decide to whom loans will be given. Loan is interest free. Self-employed women should arrange a guarantor. It is essential to repay loan within agreed timings. Five groups will be formulated including five women each. One woman from each group is selected through lottery. 10,000 Rs. Loan is provided to women in order to let them start their business according to their skills.
