KATHMANDU, July 25: The Delegation of the European Union to Nepal in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies (MoICS) organized an event on 'Fostering GESI Responsive Trade and Investment Policymaking' in the capital on Tuesday.
The workshop aimed to bridge the gap between policy-making and implementation through active engagement of stakeholders. Participants stressed the need for greater women's participation in the business sector and emphasized the importance of building resilient businesses to address the challenges.
Key discussions included the significance of GESI architecture for development, the impact of trade and gender, social barriers on women's engagement in trade, and the lack of gender provisions in international trade agreements. Progress at the global and national level in promoting gender equality in trade, along with key recommendations on the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy 2023 were also presented.
Common framework for GESI launched
Joint Secretary at MOICS Gobinda Bahadur Karki expressed appreciation for stakeholders' efforts in promoting gender integration in business and urged collective action to achieve sustainable development. "We recognize the efforts of all stakeholders in promoting gender integration in business. It is high time to map trade policies through a GESI perspective and work collectively to achieve sustainable development," he said during the opening session.
President of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Associations of Nepal Neeru Rayamajhi Khatri emphasized the vital role of women entrepreneurs and the need for support in capacity-building initiatives during her remarks at the opening session.
Facilitator of the workshop Dr Mona Shrestha Adhikari delivered a thematic presentation on mainstreaming GESI in Nepal's Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) for 2023, focusing on overcoming barriers and creating an enabling environment for business of women and marginalized communities. The workshop also showcased various research initiatives and capacity-building programs for women entrepreneurs.
Technical sessions by Shyam Sundar Jnavaly and Suman Shakya highlighted vulnerabilities faced by Nepali businesses due to socioeconomic, geographical, and technological constraints. They emphasized that Business Continuity Management and Business Continuity Plan are key tools that will support in attracting investment and promoting business at global level and help to build resilient businesses.
The workshop also featured interactive group discussions, wherein participants identified various factors contributing to the resilience of women-led businesses across agriculture, services, and manufacturing sectors. These factors included family support, preparation of business continuity plans, technical support, and digital literacy, access to finance, and proper coordination and communication, among others.
The highly interactive workshop brought together experts, stakeholders, and entrepreneurs from diverse sectors including business associations, development organizations working on socio-economic development, disability and ethnic minorities, academia and government agencies fostering discussions on inclusive policies and resilient businesses for international trade.
