Abel says SME caters for women

THE Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Policy 1998 caters for women in various income-generating activities, according to Minister for Commerce Trade and Industry Charles Abel.
Abel told the Women in Business Summit yesterday that his ministry, however, had to put in place formal systems to ensure desired interventions by government to achieve growth of women in business.
He said politicians were too busy playing politics and forgot about the SME policy.
“The SME policy of 1998 clearly upholds the constitution in gender equality, and clearly spells out to assist women in business of this nation, in various income-generating activities to sustain their livelihood and be at par with their male counterparts in entrepreneurial development and growth,” Abel said.
He said the government was fully aware of the need to support the growth of the SME sector through the SME policy.
Abel said in recent months, work had been done and was continuing with the assistance of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a private sector arm of the World Bank, to address some of these issues.
“The work done by National Development Bank  and the outcome of this summit will also contribute a strategy for development of women in business.”
He stressed the importance of all government agencies under the ministry working in collaboration to achieve set goals and aims.
Abel urged the participants to make use of the conference.
 “The government congratulates NDB for recognising the pivotal role that women entrepreneurs can play in the economic development of a country as evident, the world over, by organising the first NDB women in business summit to empower, inspire and add value to our PNG women in business,” Abel said.
He urged the participants to make something useful from the conference.