LAHORE: Aurat Foundation Executive Director Nigar Ahmad on Tuesday inaugurated a two-day sales and crafts exhibition which was held at Lawrence Road.
The products ranging from handmade pottery items to embroidered cloths of Haripur, wooden items from Chiniot, jewellery and accessories, decorative items prepared by the home-based workers were displayed at the exhibition.
Homenet Pakistan Executive Director Ume Laila Azhar while addressing the ceremony said, “Direct marketing access for women is an impediment that needs to be addressed”.
Azhar further said that “These women who are producers need more market space and access to direct buyers,” She further added that HomeNet Pakistan has been striving for the rights and mainstreaming of the women so that they could have a direct access to the market and a better economic standard of living.
Azhar further added that the home based workers have been an important part of the supply chain but they remained invisible for a long time but the government is now taking measures to encourage them and acknowledge their contributions to the national GDP.
Azhar urged the government to include the home-based workers in the Punjab Growth strategy and take forward positive models of engagement and collective bargain to the international world of fair practices.
Homenet Pakistan member Maria Kokab said, “We are expecting more buyers tomorrow, and we are planning to be part of another huge Women expo, an initiative of Punjab government under women empowerment package by the end of this month”.
The home-based workers expressed their joy and jubilation on the exhibition.
