International Rural Women’s Day

International Rural Women’s Day, observed on the 15th of October each year, stands as a global tribute to the irreplaceable roles played by rural women across diverse fields and their profound impact on rural development. This international day is dedicated to raising awareness about the distinct challenges, unwavering resilience, and abundant opportunities that rural women encounter while steadfastly pursuing gender equality in rural settings.

In an inspiring initiative, this year, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce & Industry Lahore Division (WCCIL) decided to honor and celebrate the remarkable rural women, who have contributed immensely to various professions across Pakistan. Our selection included women engaged in vocations such as rickshaw driving, lippan art, zari work, embroidery, date leaf-based crafts, dari weaving, spice production, beauty salons, and the traditional craft of blue pottery, among others. These extraordinary women, each in their unique small-town settings, have significantly enriched their communities and extended their impact beyond.

WCCIL extended invitations to these exceptional women from towns such as Chakwal, Jhang, Kot Addu, Barki, Rajanpur, Kamalia, Sahiwal, Muridkay, Sheikhupura, and Multan. On this special occasion, we proudly honored them with well-deserved awards, provided nourishing meals, and graciously covered their travel expenses. The women arrived promptly, their spirits high and hearts full of gratitude. The joy and appreciation expressed by these women were truly heart warming, reflecting the profound impact of acknowledging and celebrating their dedication and hard work. Tears of overwhelming joy were shed by some, testament to the deep significance of this recognition.

During the event, we captured the personal stories of each of these women as they introduced themselves and shared their unique vocations. Their motivation and determination were evident throughout, as they voiced their collective desire for this event to continue annually, providing them with invaluable networking opportunities to expand their businesses.

In conclusion, all the women present at the event expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Lahore Division, for spearheading this remarkable initiative. We also invited Founder President Gilgit Women Chamber of Commerce, Sahiwal Women Chamber of Commerce, D.G Khan Women Chamber of Commerce and Sargodha Women Chamber of Commerce. All these Chambers are created by women entrepreneurs, who are working day and night to provide a networking platform to all the ladies of their areas.