Pakistan has announced its first National Women Entrepreneurship Policy, a landmark initiative designed to enhance access to financing, business support, and growth opportunities for women entrepreneurs nationwide. The policy was unveiled on November 20, 2025, with ambitious targets that include raising women’s participation in the workforce from 2% to 5%, increasing women-led exporters by 50%, expanding co-working spaces by 20%, and allocating 15% of SME fund proceeds exclusively to women.
The policy framework integrates existing measures such as State Bank’s Banking on Equality guidelines and Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s Women Equality in Finance policy, while introducing new initiatives to facilitate business growth. Key measures include reserving 5% of the Export Development Fund for women-led ventures and providing access to business-information platforms for at least 100,000 female entrepreneurs. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, highlighted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is committed to placing women at the centre of economic decision-making, noting the significant contribution of female entrepreneurs to national growth.
A central feature of the policy is the Women Entrepreneurship Portal, supported by the Asian Development Bank’s Women Inclusive Finance Programme. The portal is designed to connect female entrepreneurs with mentors, regulators, and business support organisations, offering multilingual training content and digital access for users without smartphones. The policy also prioritises relief-zone enterprise support to help women in challenging environments maintain and expand their businesses.
Product development and export readiness are major areas of focus. SMEDA will establish a design cell in collaboration with textile and fashion universities to support women-led enterprises in developing market-ready products, participating in international exhibitions, and engaging in green and circular economy initiatives. This initiative complements the broader aim of enhancing Pakistan’s digital economy, remote work opportunities, and inclusive financial ecosystem.
The policy launch coincided with an event organised by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and SMEDA in Islamabad, which brought together more than 21 women’s chambers of commerce and industry from across the country. Analysts suggest that by aligning finance, mentorship, and digital tools, the policy has the potential to unlock significant entrepreneurial potential among women, contributing to job creation, export growth, and more inclusive economic participation.
As Pakistan moves forward with this initiative, the National Women Entrepreneurship Policy signals a structured and comprehensive approach to empowering female-led businesses, supporting women in harnessing opportunities in the SME sector, and strengthening their role in the national economy.
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