U.S. - Pakistan Women’s Council
Fact Sheet
The U.S.-Pakistan Women’s Council seeks to increase women's economic participation in Pakistan
through entrepreneurship, employment and education focused on high potential, underprivileged
women in the rising middle class. Established in 2012, the Council is a public-private partnership led by the
U.S. State Department and American University in cooperation with Pakistan's U.S. diaspora. The Council
coordinates pilot efforts within its network to multiply impacts and achieve a demonstration effect. Recent
developments follow.
Entrepreneurship
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January 2015 – The Islamabad WECREATE/Pakistan women's entrepreneurship center became selfsustaining as management was passed to The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE). Opened in February 2015, the
center has recruited and trained 46 successful business mentors and has provided training and other
support for 110 existing women's businesses. 38 startups have been launched so far, creating 400 new
jobs. Overall, over 4,000 women have participated in a wide range of expert trainings, information
sessions, showcases, competitions and campaigns, with another 11,000 people reached via Face book.
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January 2016 – The Pakistan Women Entrepreneurs Program (PWEP) is managed through a
partnership between American University and the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).
The first certificate course for 25 women completed in October 2015 was followed by mentoring,
intensive leadership and team building training for more women in November and December to
sharpen skills, build confidence, and ensure success. Thus far through these programs, 68 women
entrepreneurs and business leaders have received tailored assistance to help scale up their businesses.
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September 2015 – In April and September, commercial and trade law experts from the U.S. Department
of Commerce conducted Council co-sponsored business and trade capacity building with 50 Pakistani
and Afghan women entrepreneurs at the WECREATE/Pakistan center. Such activities support
commitments in the 2014 bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic
Empowerment.
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March 2015 – The Council seeks to help women's businesses locate sustainable markets and capacity
building opportunities. In March, local private sector members and experts joined Council roundtables
and meetings in Islamabad and Karachi to discuss corporate supply chain contracting
opportunities. Influential business associations and companies are now exploring possible supplier
diversity pilot efforts, with Council follow up planned for January 2016.
Employment
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January 2016 – The Council promotes public and private sector employment for women in Pakistan
through information-sharing about strategies and opportunities. In March 2015, local partners and
experts at Council roundtables and meetings in Islamabad and Karachi discussed increasing corporate
hiring, retention, re-entry programs and promotion of women. Business associations, companies and
the Council’s corporate members are coordinating with the Council to widen qualified female candidate
pools via the Council's broader network, including the 15,000-strong Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network
(PUAN), containing talent from every sector and many of Pakistan's most promising young women, and
partner iEARN, which recruits youth for education exchanges programs.
Updated February 2016
Education and Training
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2016 – The U.S. Summer Sisters pre-college program enables underprivileged Pakistani high school girls
to explore education and career options and strategies. As Summer Sisters joins the First Lady’s Let
Girls Learn initiative 2016, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and Washington University in St. Louis have
joined American University, Babson College, Barnard College, George Washington University, Harvard
University, Smith College and the Eleanor Roosevelt leadership Center at Vassar College as partners
who will provide scholarships for summer programs that, taken together, total over $107,000.
“Before this experience, I wanted to be a chartered accountant; but now I want to start my own business, so I may be able
to provide job opportunities for women. In this way they may be able to become a part of our society in a true sense.”
– 2014 Summer Sisters participant at American University
“Studying two very different courses, Micro Controllers and Robotics, has certainly helped me find my interest, since I had
never studied these subjects in Pakistan. This is why I now wish to study Robotics for my undergraduate school and later
on, introduce this degree in Pakistan as well.”
– 2015 Summer Sisters participant at Smith College
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August 2015 – A pilot summer internship program, established in cooperation with the Council in 2014
by Packages Limited of Lahore, completed hands on training for women interns. The program has
helped over 60 women college students pursue careers from finance and engineering to business
administration, and aims to provide 40 women with targeted, practical experience on an annual basis.
Key Events
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January 2016 – the Council's Executive Director led a delegation to Islamabad, where the Council team
received indications of interest by 8 more companies in joining as members, and where the Council
began to coordinate ways to facilitate hiring and supplier diversity commitments through its network.
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October 2015 – President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif highlighted the Council's work during
annual talks. At an event with the Prime Minister, the Council welcomed the Coca Cola Company,
PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and the Pakistani company Engro as its first corporate members.
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June 2015 – The Council's Executive Committee reviewed achievements and approved a new Strategic
Plan and cooperation guidelines that reflected consultations with over 200 stakeholders in both
countries. The Strategic Plan represents a consensus among diverse Council members around priorities,
and introduces performance metrics designed to spotlight impacts and accelerate momentum.
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March 2015 – The Executive Director traveled to Islamabad and Karachi to lead consultations with
corporate executives and managers, entrepreneurs, education experts, government representatives,
business advocacy groups, donors and business association heads affirmed Council strategy and
implementation plans during meetings and roundtable discussions. The Executive Director also
participated in a Business Opportunities Conference plenary panel on women’s entrepreneurship, and in
bilateral trade and investment talks, where Council activities implementing the 2014 MOU on Women's
Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment were discussed.
How You Can Help
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Become a Member: The Council includes companies and organizations that promote economic opportunities for women in Pakistan.
Support Entrepreneurship: Offer mentoring, training or supply chain opportunities.
Expand Employment: Widen the candidate pool by sharing information and opportunities through our network and offer internships.
Promote Higher Education: Through support for Summer Sisters and other programs.
Visit us: www.facebook.com/uspakistanwomenscouncil www.american.edu/sis/us-pakistanwomenscouncil
In the United States, contact: Executive Director Melanie Bixby (bixby@american.edu) and Program Coordinator Samssa Ali
(Sali@american.edu). In Pakistan, contact: Country Coordinator Jackie Brock (brockjl@state.gov) cc: Samssa Ali
Updated February 2016