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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Women entrepreneurs urged to play role for growth

LAHORE (Pakistan) - Vice President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Faisal Iqbal Sheikh has said that the women entrepreneurs need to play their role with greater reliance, self esteem and dedication for the economic growth of the country and for the purpose they should inculcate leadership skills for which the Lahore Chamber of Commerce would continue to play its role.

The LCCI Vice President was speaking at a function arranged in honor of women entrepreneurs here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. LCCI former President Mian Shafaqat Ali and Convener Standing Committee on Women Resource Center Nasira Taskeen also spoke on the occasion.
The LCCI Vice President said that no country in world could have prosperity and progress without due participation of women in all spheres of life. He said that it was encouraging that now there was a consensus in Pakistan as well, that the best way to achieve women’s emancipation is through economic independence, which can be achieved through an increased participation of women in economic activity and entrepreneurship. Faisal Iqbal Sheikh said that according to a UN report the economic development is closely related to the advancement of women. “In countries where women have advanced, the economy has usually been steady. By contrast, in countries where women have been restricted, the economy has been stagnant.” The LCCI VP linked the progress of the country with the participation of women in economic activities stating that the women have better chances to excel for having better managerial skills.

Convener LCCI Standing Committee Ms. Nasira Taskeen said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry would utilise all its resources to solve the issues being faced by the businesswomen. She said that all measures were being taken to ensure the participation of women entrepreneurs in LCCI foreign delegations or for their participation in foreign exhibitions as they had to face troubles with particular reference to their business visits.

Source: The Nation

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Gerard Stein was among those recognized in the first Greater IBM awards.

Gerard Stein lives by a simple credo: “Women are the global power of change.”

He’s devoted his after-IBM life to turning that belief into actions that promote the abilities of women to achieve leadership positions. After 31 years with IBM in France, Africa and Saudi Arabia, he launched EVE-olution.org, a not-for-profit organization and travels widely as a business coach for women senior executives and business owners. He also works with leading think-tanks dealing with global trade.

Officially registered as EVE-olution Foundation Inc., his organization focuses on helping female entrepreneurs in emerging and developing countries run businesses better.

Gerard’s work and encouragement for other Greater IBMers earned him one of our first annual awards as a “Greater Evangelist”.

The organization’s motto is “the global power of change,” and he believes that women, especially those with businesses, will drive that change.

“We rely on women to give our kids better chances to live in a safer and healthier planet than predicted by world experts, because they are the powerful influencers of their own region,” he said. “As mothers, all of them are acting toward the same objective. This is a multiple ‘butterfly effect,’" he added, referring to the theory that the beating of a butterfly’s wings in one part of the world can lead to a hurricane elsewhere.

Stein is also fond of a quote from Oprah Winfrey: “When you empower women you can change the world.”

“I’m the father of four daughters and already four grandchildren, and I care about their future. That’s why I co-created this project.”

Pollution, terrorist organizations and the current financial situation don’t respect frontiers, said Stein. And a huge portion of the world’s population not only lives in developing countries, but seems destined to live “in alarming conditions” in and around cities. Reinforcing women entrepreneurs helps buffer some of those threats. EVE-olution’s help to those women comes by opening doors for their business, finding new export markets, rather than lending or giving them money.

With a thriving business, a woman can create new jobs in her village, stemming the rural-to-urban exodus. “They’re also role models for youth, inspiring their communities,” said Stein. “And in their regions they’re powerful influencers of sustainable development and security.”

EVE-olution.org, said Stein, runs “without the expensive logistics of members, employees or permanent offices,” although it covers the expenses of volunteers. The foundation calls on private companies to support them but will not accept money from governments or public institutions.

He’s hoping the Greater IBM community will provide him with more manpower. You don’t have to travel to Africa to help. Stein is looking for retired executives and corporate volunteers as well as business administration students willing to work on the project. He also needs development volunteers to approach companies to become supporters, Web specialists and designers to expand EVE-olution’s site, and communicators to help raise the organization’s visibility.

"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal,” said Stein, quoting 19th Century American author Albert Pine.