Islamabad : In a competition that was open for the entrepreneurs those enabling women in Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Pakistan to achieve full economic equality, Pakistan’s Busanti and DoctHERS-in-the-House won GE & Ashoka Changemakers Award for innovation in advancing economic equality for women. The winning innovations were selected by a panel of expert judges that included Kimberly Hessler (Director of Sustainability, GE), Amy Millington (President, eBay Foundation’s The Opportunity Project), and Ahsan Jamil (CEO, The Aman Foundation).
Sarim Sheikh, GE’s President & Chief Executive Officer for Pakistan, said, “The GE-Ashoka Changemakers Award aimed at identifying innovative approaches by social entrepreneurs that enable women to achieve full economic equality, strengthen their families and communities, and benefit equitably from economic growth. Our support to the initiative highlights our commitment to nurture a culture of localised innovation that promotes the well-being of local populations through need-based solutions.”
“We are entering a digital age where the power of sustainable, market-based solutions-ones that dive deeper into populations that are difficult to serve will create opportunities for women who are not yet participating in the employment market,” said Khalid Alkhudair, Ashoka Fellow, competition judge, and founder of Glowork. “The Women Powering Work competition shows there are innovative and transformative solutions that deserve our support.”
Women constitute 25 percent or less of the total workforce in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Pakistan-half the rate of the global average. Family responsibilities and socio-cultural norms often conflict with women’s ability to seek employment in these regions. By providing online access to physicians, safe transportation and/or the ability to work from home, the winning innovations sourced by the Women Powering Work competition support the goal of taking critical strides towards achieving women’s economic equality in the region.
The Women Powering Work competition sought solutions that address barriers to economic equality, including initiatives that help end gender discrimination, increase access to capital and technology, or enable gender-responsive advocacy for women’s rights. Participants in the online competition have the opportunity to engage with the Changemakers community, which includes social entrepreneurs from around the world, impact partners, sector experts, and potential investors.