Lack of business platform barrier for integration of informal sector woman entrepreneurs

About 61% of informal sector woman entrepreneurs cannot be integrated into the formal sector due to lack of business-related firm or a right platform, said a survey.   

The survey conducted under the 'Empowering Women's CSOs to Ensure Good Governance (WEE)' project also said that  42% of women face hurdles in economic activities, 38% experienced payment discrimination, 28% were refused ownership of assets and 28% could not get access to some profession for being a woman. 

Traidcraft Exchange Sunday organised a panel discussion to initiate a dialogue between the formal and informal sector on their European Union co-funded initiative, 'Empowering Women's CSOs to Ensure Good Governance (WEE)', at a hotel in the capital. 

Traidcraft Exchange has arranged this discussion to officially launch WEE Project which will benefit 15000 women and their families in Jashore, Khulna, Faridpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts. Through this project, Traidcraft Exchange aims to empower and build 3000 selected women entrepreneurs from scratch by providing them with business training and good governance guidelines.

Traidcraft Exchange Advisor Foyzul Bari Himel said that they had already selected 15,000 women with whom they would work. 

Traidcraft Exchange started the WEE project in 2021 which will end in 2024. Bikash Bangladesh Ulashi Sreejoni Shangha (USS) has been helping in implementing the project. 

Shahed Ferdous, Country Director of Traidcraft Exchange, Bangladesh  ‍said that Traidcraft Exchange aims to achieve long-term integration of these women into the formal value chain and ensure their contribution to business and market development, especially in the deep untapped rural areas. 

Asif Uddin Ahmed, assistant professor and director, of the MBA programme of ULAB moderated the seminar.