Barhta Pakistan Makes Cities More Business Friendly

Barhta Pakistan (loosely translated as progressive Pakistan), incorporates a series of initiatives aimed at making cities more business friendly. Here are a some of the highlights:

• A platform for women entrepreneurs: A well-equipped resource center was set up at the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI). The Foundation also supported WCCI in its efforts to provide a platform for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan to showcase, promote, and advertise their products and services through the 15th Lifestyle Exhibition She in Trade, which featured more than 150 stalls set up by women entrepreneurs from across the country.
• Promoting Youth Eco-preneurship: To foster a more conducive environment for youth-based sustainability-based businesses, the Foundation organized a national-level youth “eco-preneurship” contest. Winners were given seed grants to kickstart their new business.
• Preventing Acid Crime: The Foundation in coordination with the Ministry of Human Rights, carried out consultations with civil society groups, rights-based organizations and public sector institutions to draft a bill to ensure that the sale of acid is controlled through strict regulations. The objective of this exercise was to prevent the use of acid as a tool of violence against women.