An evidence-based policy consultation on enabling women entrepreneurship- a multi-stakeholder conclave was organized by the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) on 18th February 2022 at Capital Convention Centre, Kohima. IDAN is partnering with Deutsche Gesellschaft fiir Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), a German development agency, project Her&Now and Dhriiti -The Courage Within to promote women entrepreneurship in Nagaland. The objective of the Conclave is to create a policy brief/ policy whitepaper on the women entrepreneurship ecosystem of Nagaland through a stakeholder consultation process.
Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Speaker, Sharingain Longkumer addressing the women entrepreneurs said the State Government is focussing on the empowerment of women entrepreneurs so that the socio-economic development of the State can be improved. In February 2019, Nagaland Government announced its new start-up policy, under which the State Government is allocating 25% fund for women entrepreneurs and plans to facilitate 500 start-ups in five years, through Start-up Nagaland, a nodal Department under the Department of Industries & Commerce.
The Speaker stressed the need for the policy consultation to also focus on rural women entrepreneurs so that they are benefitted. He stated that unless women entrepreneurs suggest policy requirements to the Government, the Government will not know which are the sectors to focus on, and invited the Women Entrepreneurs Association to send a delegate to attend the upcoming Budget Session in March 2022 to view the deliberations that take place in the highest policy-making institution in the State. He expressed hope that through this conclave right questions and suggestions will be put across so that thoughts become policies, and policies become acts, which will eventually help to build the socio-economic development of the State through women entrepreneurship and empowerment.
CEO, IDAN, Alemtemshi Jamir delivering the keynote address expressed hope that the Conclave will be the beginning of conversations for women entrepreneurs and remove the prevalent conditioning and ecosystem that are not supportive of women entrepreneurship in the State. He called on the women entrepreneurs to not just focus on profit but base their model focussing on people, compassion, collaboration instead of competition which can be their unique selling point.
While stating that policies have to be the collective effort of the people, Jamir pointed out that the suggestions, through the Conclave, will impact the Government policies. He encouraged the women to build on their strengths such as their unique culture and natural resources.
Founder, Dhriiti, Anirban Gupta, and Ullas Marar from GIZ addressed the Conclave, while presentations were given by various entrepreneurship support organizations. Government policymakers and implementing departments, women entrepreneurs, financial institution/ funding organisations also took part in the Conclave. A Roundtable discussion session (virtual format) was held on 3rd and 4th February with all stakeholder groups separately.
(Nouneseno IA)
