Kailali Chamber of Commerce leads efforts to empower women entrepreneurs in Dhangadhi

Dhangadhi: The Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has taken a major step toward advancing gender equality by launching a targeted initiative to empower women entrepreneurs in Dhangadhi. As part of its corporate social responsibility efforts, the Chamber recently conducted a two-day specialized training workshop to enhance women’s entrepreneurial capabilities and leadership potential.

This initiative forms part of the national “Empowered Women, Prosperous Nepal” (EWPN) program — a four-year effort (2023–2026) supported by the Government of Nepal, the European Union, and the United Nations. The program is being implemented across Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim Provinces with the support of four UN agencies — the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and UN Women — in collaboration with all levels of government. It aligns with Nepal’s Vision 2030 and the Gender Equality Policy of 2021.

In addition to the training, a two-day leadership event was organized to encourage greater women's participation in business governance. Selected participants from this program will be offered roles within the Chamber itself, in a progressive move to increase women's representation in decision-making positions.

Known for organizing large annual trade fairs, the Kailali Chamber began allocating a portion of ticket sales to fund women’s leadership development. In 2023, one rupee from each ticket sold was set aside for this purpose; in 2024, the Chamber doubled its contribution to two rupees per ticket, according to KCCI Secretary Suresh Pandey.

Chairperson Puspa Raj Kunwar acknowledged a significant gap in female representation within the organization. “We struggled not only to recruit female members but also to retain them. This experience underscored the need for structured training to prepare women entrepreneurs for leadership roles,” Kunwar said. Following the initial round of training, many women began taking on operational responsibilities within the Chamber, marking a positive shift.

The recent training session, titled Sambridhi ka lagi Samanta: Economic and Social Empowerment, took place at Hotel Saurai in Godawari Municipality from April 26–27. It was organized by the Kailali Chamber of Commerce with technical support from UN Women under the EWPN program, supported by the Government of Nepal, the European Union, and UN agencies (ILO, UN Women, UNFPA, and UNICEF). Funds for this CSR initiative were raised by KCCI through ticket sales during the Sudurpaschim Travel and Fair held in December.

The training was inaugurated by Honorable Member Tulasi Devkota, with guests including the Chief Administrative Officer and other local officials. Facilitated by Saru Joshi — author of Euta Sinka Bhachi Herda, a veteran with over a decade of government service and 21 years with various UN agencies — the training aimed to strengthen leadership strategies and assess the Chamber’s progress on women’s social and economic empowerment since the previous year’s session.

A detailed action plan was developed during the training, which will be reviewed during KCCI’s upcoming quarterly meeting as part of ongoing efforts to build an inclusive, equitable, and prosperous society.