SMEDA UNDP WORKSHOP FOR LEGAL EMPOWERMENT OF MARGINALIZED

The Small & Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA), Ministry of Industry, Govt. of Pakistan has initiated a project “Supporting Pro-Poor Governance for Legal Empowerment of the Poor (Right to do Business)” (Pro-GOLE) in collaboration with United Nation Development Programme (UNDP). Under the project, base line study for need & impact assessment conducted by the consultant. The aim of the study is to identify the legal services’ support needs of small/informal businesses, on the one hand and on the other, existing mechanisms of support in the public and private sector for small/informal businesses, and to understand the gaps in the service delivery thereof.

President of the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) Zulfikar Thaver said the union appreciates the efforts of SMEDA and UNDP and expressed confidence that the consultative workshop being organized to share, deliberate and review the base line study to support the marginalized businesses in the Sindh province on Monday the 18th March 2013 would prove fruitful.

He said UNISAME will participate with a strong delegation and play its role and provide input on the needs of the sector and the shortcomings of the present system.The sector needs legal empowerment and education about its rights and duties. The right to do business theme of SMEDA and UNDP is encouraging the sector to understand and identify its position in the business community and conduct business confidently, knowing that being small does not mean it can be trampled or subdued. The small and micro entrepreneur belongs to the majority sector and contributes to the economy and serves society as well by catering to their requirements and it is incumbent upon the government to facilitate the micro and small sector and make life easy for them.

Sadruddin Jatoi provincial coordinator Sindh Pro Gole/ER UNDP/SMEDA said though, legal services are being delivered or facilitated by different institutions such as SMEDA, bar councils, local governments and chambers of commerce and industries. Yet, no independent qualitative as well as quantitative assessment of the work being done by such institutions is available, in particular relating to the marginalized businesses. The baseline data, will, therefore, bring forth a sound basis for initiating the legal empowerment process under the project.

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