Women Business Development Center to start functioning in Peshawar by end of Jan

PESHAWAR: Women Business Development Center, being set up with the objective of facilitating women entrepreneurship in NWFP, will start functioning in Peshawar from end of current month.

The project, to be completed at a cost of Rs. 30 million, will provide support to women entrepreneurship ventures in the province by removing handicaps as regard to business infrastructure, business development and by providing conducive environment for women owned business, said Provincial Chief of SMEDA, Javed Iqbal Khattak.

Talking with APP, Javed Iqbal Khattak said the center, funded by Ministry of Industries and executed by SMEDA, will be set up at University Road in Peshawar by the end of January 2009.

The Women Business Development Center (WBDC), he added, would provide all business related facilities to businesswomen under one roof and serve as a suitable place for women entrepreneurs of NWFP to trade and exhibit their products.

Javed Khattak said women business development in NWFP is hindered due to several reasons including lack of mobility, poor or non‑existent education facilities for women, low level of infrastructure development and lack of proper working environment.

The WBDC will provide conducive business environment for women owned business in the form of Business Incubation Center, he informed.

Similarly, the center will also work on capacity building of Women Entrepreneurs, provision of all encompassing facility for office space, product showcasing, exhibition sale, training and for promotion of entrepreneurial culture amongst women in NWFP.

About Business Incubators, Javed Khattak said, the incubators will serve as working place on temporary basis for women entrepreneur performing business at their homes. After establishing of business at incubators, the businesswomen will shift to a suitable place, he added.

The center will have ten incubators available on subsidized rent for the female entrepreneurs for a minimum period of six months and maximum of two years.

A display center having ten stalls will also be available at the center on subsidized rents for a minimum period of one week and maximum of six weeks. The WBDC will provide a secure, hassle free and totally female oriented environment to businesswomen. Some shared facilities will also be provided at nominal price including business plan, marketing plan, seminars, workshops, training programmes, internet services, photocopy, fax, phone calls, training room and printouts.

Javed Khattak expressed the hope that WBDC will play a vital role in development of the economy of the province by promoting female entrepreneurship as according to latest survey an increasing trend of women entering in Cottage industry in NWFP is registered.