PM Deuba urges women to explore opportunities in entrepreneurship

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has asserted that the government is ready to lend the support required for the promotion and marketing of products manufactured with the use of domestic raw materials and homegrown technologies and skills.  

While inaugurating the “Sixth International Women’s Trade Expo” organised by the Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs’ Associations of Nepal in Lalitpur on Thursday, the Prime Minister insisted on the need of promoting goods and services based on homegrown skills and technologies, as well as on promoting the market for such products.

The Prime Minister was of the view that the trade fair featuring the skills of women entrepreneurs would help promote the country’s export business, contributing to the protection and sustainability of small and medium-scale industries run by Nepali women.

In addition to this, it would be helpful for promoting women’s entrepreneurship, excelling their skills in the related field, diversifying their services and products, and expanding the market for their efforts.

He urged the women’s community to explore opportunities in the area of entrepreneurship with the maximum utilization of locally-available resources to become economically self-reliant and empowered.

“The expo will be an inspiration to women’s community to pursue a career as an entrepreneur, contributing to the enchantment of women’s employment, self-employment and to the nation’s economy.

I hope the expo for publicity, sale promotion and marketing of goods and services produced by women entrepreneurs will help expand the network and connection of the entire  Nepali women entrepreneurs, providing them with a platform for the exchange of business ideas and skills,” the head of the government said.

The interactions among entrepreneurs and exchange of import-export information to take place during the expo will be helpful in consolidating business collaboration, coordination and relations, and this will be the cause for the promotion of exports of Nepali products and inspiration for foreign investors to explore opportunities in Nepal, according to the Prime Minister.

He said he is happy knowing that the products produced by women entrepreneurs of different districts of all seven provinces including Kathmandu Valley based on a traditional skills from local means and resources would be kept on display in the expo.

“I am very happy knowing that women entrepreneurs from remote districts including Jumla, Humla, Dadeldhura and Taplejung have been participating in the expo and that they have brought their production to keep on display,” shared PM Deuba.

Saying the contribution of the private sector is very significant to making the economy dynamic, he mentioned that the private sector has been playing a leading role in creating employment and helping to increase the gross domestic product of the country.  

The Prime Minister also lauded the role-playing by the private sector for the country’s economic development.

Expressing the belief that there would be more participation of women in the coming days, he urged to make it further extensive, well coordinated and balanced. 

PM Deuba pointed out the need for the government and private sector should move ahead making coordination and collaborating to continue the supply system of essential goods and services by facing the possible challenges in the country’s economy.

The Federation would play a constructive role in the promotion of women’s entrepreneurship, he expressed the belief.

Federation President Neeru Rayamajhi (Khatri) stressed the collaboration between the government and private sector to make the services and products produced by the women entrepreneurs using local raw materials, skill, technology and experience of international level and marketing of such products.

The products produced by women entrepreneurs could be exported to the international market making it more qualitative.

She urged the government to pay attention to women entrepreneurs’ capacity building, financial management and market promotion as well as to construct local infrastructure for market management of local production. 

A total of 109 stalls of agriculture, handicraft, service, festival, and foodstuffs as well as production by international entrepreneurs have been kept on display in the expo.

Expo coordinator Shova Gyawali said that 55,000 visitors are expected to observe the expo and transaction worth Rs 20 million has been estimated.