To promote women economic empowerment and to explore opportunities for collaboration, Pakistan WE-NET’s project team visited Ra’ana Liaquat Craftsmen’s Colony (RLCC), Karachi on February 7, 2018.
Ms. Selwa Habib, Chairperson, RLCC introduced the WE-NET team to RLCC staff and craftswomen from the community. One of the objectives of the RLCC is to increase opportunities to improve livelihoods of low-income communities. To achieve
this, RLCC provides vocational training and skills development in order to produce and sell handicrafts. By doing so, the RLCC is
currently supporting approximately 300 women in generating a steady stream of income for their households. The colony
however, requires greater access to markets in order to generate sources of income for their community.
Pakistan WE-NET aims to support RLCC in creating networks with women entrepreneurs and providing opportunities for supply chain inclusion with leading brands in Pakistan. Ms. Selwa shared the ground level impact caused by economically empowering women. She stated that women from their community who were not allowed to leave their homes initially, are now being encouraged to get work from RLCC; “With their earnings, women get respect in their households.”
Pakistan WE-NET is collaborating with RLCC for the promotion of local crafts and skills of these women. This will help increase the participation of women in social and economic life, thereby enabling them to contribute to their family budget. Having engaged with RLCC at WE-NET’s launch event, with giveaways made by the women craftsmen, WE-NET will now showcase RLCC products at its Gender and Trade Conference in March 2018.
