Queen Maxima stresses women’s empowerment to end poverty

LAHORE:Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Secretary General's Special Advocate (UNSGSA) for Inclusive Finance for Development, on Wednesday laid stress on women’s economic empowerment to end poverty in Pakistan.The digital financial services in Pakistan should support housewives and other women in Pakistan to set up small home-based industries and businesses,” said Queen Maxima while talking to the small merchants during her visit to Ghalib Market, Gulberg, in the provincial metropolis.She met with the shopkeepers who benefited from a Pakistani financial technology company to learn more about how its digital financial services solutions could support financial inclusion. She spoke about the importance of technology to bring diverse financial services to the excluded.The queen was inspired by the success story of Muhammad Abid Islam who ran small general store at Ghalib Market. Abid told her that he had been suffering from huge financial losses when he benefitted from a unique collaboration between a multinational company and a financial technology company which digitised his supply chain, credit, payments and financing services.Queen Máxima also met with a 48-year-old housewife/beautician, Sofia, who came from very low-income family. Queen Máxima said, “When you invest in a woman, you invest in the whole family.” Sofia told the queen how she benefited from an application. She shared her experience receiving her earnings on a mobile wallet and how it gave her control over her money.Queen Maxima also visited a Pakistani company providing mobile application-based services for transportation, logistics and cash on delivery payments. She visited another financial services company which provided instant small amount loan provider for short-term through its mobile application to its subscribers.Moreover, the next thing on the itinerary of Queen Maxima was another company of mobile app and web-based solution providing women with high quality, hygienic and timely at-home beauty services.Queen Máxima’s visit to Ghalib Market was part of her three-day trip to Pakistan to support efforts to enhance access to and responsible use of financial services that improve people’s financial and economic lives.She is visiting Pakistan in her capacity as UNSGSA for Inclusive Finance for Development. As United Nations Secretary General's Special Advocate (UNSGSA) since 2009, Queen Maxima has been actively engaged worldwide in promoting access of individuals and enterprises to financial services at a reasonable cost, with the aim of improving economic and social development opportunities. Her work has led her to focus on raising awareness, encourage leadership, work to break barriers and support action to expand financial inclusion.

from The News International - Lahore https://ift.tt/2XTjjyq