Project Name: US-Pakistan Women’s Council
Years of Operation: 2012-
Countries: Pakistan, United States
Sponsors: U.S State Department, Citigroup, The Coca-Cola Group, Engro, General Electric, Proctor & Gamble, PepsiCo, The Resources Group.
Partners: Texas A&M University; The Bush School of Government and Public Service
and The Borlaug Institute
Project Narrative:
The Council coordinates with its network to build the business case for women’s economic inclusion and help Pakistan reach its potential for economic growth and global competitiveness. Although only about a fourth of Pakistan’s formal workforce are women, that number is growing. To support the efforts of these individuals, the Council links high-potential women in the rising middle class to public and private partners that can offer information and opportunities in education, entrepreneurship, and employment.
Objectives:
- Education: The US Summer Sisters Summer Exchange Program encourages gifted, low- to middle-income female high school students from Pakistan to explore education and career options through pre-college programs at US universities. The program brings students to top US universities to study science, leadership, international affairs, and other topics. Interested students from all over Pakistan go through a rigorous application and interview process with our local partner, iEARN Pakistan, and are selected based on merit.
- Entrepreneurship: Increasing women’s economic participation in Pakistan means growing the number of businesses owned and managed by women. Encouraging women’s entrepreneurship and supporting those businesses financially will ensure future prosperity and contribute to a robust economy. The Council coordinates with its network to train the next generation of female entrepreneurs and support those already operating in Pakistan.
- Employment: The US-Pakistan Women’s Council helps private sector companies operating in Pakistan close two significant gender gaps: the hiring gap and the supplier gap. To promote hiring diversity initiatives that employ and advance more women, as well as supplier diversity initiatives that add more women’s businesses to supply chains, the Council links companies in Pakistan to its growing network. The 22,000-strong Pakistan-US Alumni Network (PUAN) of students and professionals from diverse sectors in Pakistan works with the Council to connect qualified female job candidates with our corporate members. The US-Pakistan Women’s Council focuses on educating Pakistani women in the following areas
About US-Pakistan Women’s Council: The US-Pakistan Women’s Council seeks to grow women’s participation in the Pakistani economy through career trainings, entrepreneurial workshops, and employment opportunities. Established in 2012, the Council is led by a partnership between the US State Department and Texas A&M University in cooperation with public and private stakeholders in both the US and Pakistan. For more information connect with US-Pakistan Women’s Council.