New SMEDA-JICA project brings glad tidings for women in Punjab

A landmark women empowerment project to be executed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was formally launched here on Thursday

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Apr, 2026) A landmark women empowerment project to be executed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was formally launched here on Thursday.

The five-year initiative, titled “Project for Capacity Enhancement of Women Entrepreneurs in the Informal Economic Sector in Punjab,” marks a significant milestone in the SMEDA-JICA collaboration.

In her opening remarks, SMEDA’s Chief Executive Officer Nadia Jahangir Seth said that SMEDA’s collaboration with JICA is a continuation of the endeavors to be taken by SMEDA under Ministry of Industries and Production in line with vision of the Prime Minister for enabling women-led enterprises to become an integral part of national economic growth. She said, the project focuses on strengthening SMEDA’s institutional capacity, providing women with support, improving their access to finance and facilitating market linkages. She said women entrepreneurship is an important pillar of SMEDA’s three-year Business Plan and it’s a matter of great satisfaction that Pakistan’s first Women Entrepreneurship Policy, developed by SMEDA is expected to be approved very soon by the Federal Cabinet.

She welcomed the JICA team, which has already begun work on the project, and expressed hope that it would achieve the objectives of improving Punjab women’s financial and digital literacy, access to credit, market access and honing export capabilities. “We are grateful to JICA for technical support and expertise which will be a valuable source of institutional learning as well,” she added.

Sadaffe Abid, a renowned strategic communication specialist, delivered a presentation on the significance of women’s inclusion in sustainable growth in Pakistan.

She said, women in Pakistan faced economic and social barriers but there’s a window of opportunity as things are gradually improving.

She said, the capacity enhancement project would equip women with pre-incubation and incubation support, improve access to credit and market, enabling the beneficiaries to effectively participate in economic activities.

Speaking on the occasion, Chiyo Mamiya, the Chief Adviser of JICA, gave an overview of the project and said it will be piloted in Lahore and Sialkot and aims to target 2,000 women entrepreneurs and transgender entrepreneurs across Punjab over a period of five years while prioritizing high-potential sectors such as IT, services, textiles, sports goods, furniture and surgical instruments.

“A key feature of the initiative is the development and implementation of the Women Entrepreneurs Booster Package, which is a comprehensive support mechanism designed to accelerate business growth and build sustainable entrepreneurship among women in the informal economy,” she explained.

She said, she is pleased with SMEDA’s efforts to provide a level playing field to women and include transgender entrepreneurs in the project.

Earlier, Shahryar Tahir, SMEDA’s GM Gender & Sustainability Division, spelt out the organization’s initiatives for women empowerment and objectives of the project.

The ceremony was followed by an interactive workshop in which Sonal Dhanani, gender inclusion specialist, highlighted different perspectives on gender issues.

The day’s proceedings concluded with the joint resolve to empower women of Punjab by equipping them with credit access, digital & AI-based skills and an enabling ecosystem to contribute to the national progress.

Senior officers of SMEDA and JICA’s project team attended the event.