FWBL-Gender Equity Program (GEP)
Aurat Foundation awarded a grant of Rs. 13. 8 million to First Women Bank Ltd. under the Gender Equity Program supported by the American people through USAID for a period of 02 years. GEP is a 5 years program implemented in Pakistan by Aurat Foundation in collaboration with ‘The Asia Foundation’ to serve the cause of women’s empowerment and advancement in the country.
Grant goals/objectives:
Goals:
Women are mainstreamed in all economic sectors and become a visible and productive part of Pakistan’s economy
Objectives
- To enhance women’s entrepreneurial development and employability through capacity building and skill development.
- To provide trainings in core subjects related to women’s entrepreneurship/ employment.
- To facilitate access to loans through FWBL to successful trainees for initiating entrepreneurial activity.
Note: All the above are in line with Pakistan’s national (National Plan of Action 1998; National Policy for Development & Empowerment of Women 2002) and international (CEDAW, BPFA 1995) commitments all of which are endorsed by FWBL.
FWBL is committed to the goal of realizing the potential of women who require assistance in enhancing their access to entrepreneurial activities and formal employment. It is also committed to Pakistan’s national and international commitments highlighted in the Beijing Platform for Action, 1995; the National Plan of Action for Women, 1998 and the National Policy for Development & Empowerment of Women.
THE GRANT LOCATION AND DURATION
The pilot project covered two FWBL Centres in Karachi and Lahore for a period of two years.
The training activities at two FWBL BD&TCs (Lahore and Karachi) resulted in completion of 32 trainings for 640 women. All trainings were conducted through and by reputed Resource Institutes & collaborating partners.
The success of the project was acknowledged by the funding partners, who at all stages expressed their satisfaction with the implementation by FWBL of project activities.
