SBP reaffirms commitment to women entrepreneurship and access to finance
The State
Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reaffirmed its commitment to women’s
entrepreneurship and improved access to finance by endorsing the Women Entrepreneurship Finance
(WE-FI) Code.
Deputy Governor SBP Saleem Ullah, while speaking
at the first consultative workshop on the WE-FI Code, said the central bank is
putting in place mechanisms to ensure women entrepreneurs not only participate
in Pakistan’s economic development but also play a meaningful role in driving
it.
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According to an official press release issued on
Friday, he noted that the initiative aligns with the SBP’s Strategic Plan 2028,
which aims to build an inclusive and sustainable financial system.
The deputy governor highlighted SBP’s ongoing
efforts, including the Banking on Equality Policy and the use of digital
solutions to enhance women’s financial inclusion. However, he acknowledged that
despite the availability of financial services, structural barriers continue to
limit women entrepreneurs’ access to formal credit. In this context, he
described the WE-Finance Code as a timely and effective intervention.
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The WE-Finance Code was endorsed by the SBP on
July 7, 2025, to better address the financial needs of women-led businesses.
Under its action-oriented framework, the SBP has mobilised a coalition of 23
financial institutions—comprising conventional, Islamic, and microfinance
banks—along with the Pakistan Banks Association.
To
initiate the implementation of the Code, the SBP, in collaboration with the
Asian Development Bank (ADB), organised a two-day workshop in Islamabad. The
workshop brought together signatory banks, regulators, and development partners
to develop a national action plan for advancing women’s access to finance.
Source: Dialogue
Pakistan