KATHMANDU: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Anil Kumar Sinha has stressed that women-friendly policies must be implemented in practice rather than remaining limited to paper.
Addressing an interaction titled ‘Women’s Opportunities in Startups: Challenges and the Way Forward’, organized by Policy Research Pvt Ltd in Kathmandu on Sunday, Minister Sinha emphasized the need to ensure women’s real access to enterprises, business, and startup opportunities.
“Women-friendly policies and approaches are meaningless unless they are put into practice,” he said, adding that promoting women’s entrepreneurship would significantly contribute to strengthening the national economy.
Stating that debates over women’s capability to perform in public roles are outdated, the minister called for collective efforts from the State, private sector, and society to promote women entrepreneurs. He also underlined that it is the State’s responsibility to further empower women.
Participants at the event highlighted persistent challenges faced by aspiring women entrepreneurs, including limited access to finance, lack of skills development opportunities, and market constraints, and stressed the need for coordinated efforts to address these issues.
Director of Policy Research Pvt Ltd, Basudev Neupane, said policy, technological, and institutional support are crucial for the sustainability of women-led startups, noting that concrete plans and actions are necessary to achieve meaningful progress.
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