Reinvention of handicraft sector urged

Islamabad: President, Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI) Farida Rashid on Sunday said government and private sector should encourage and support rural artificers.We should have fully equipped training centres in rural areas to help improve quality of artisan goods by encouraging better selection of products and raw materials, she said.

She said this while inaugurating an expo in which women from Hazara displayed their handiwork including paintings, embroidery, hand-painted wood and clay decorations, and handmade jewellery etc.While lauding the high quality, uniqueness and richness of products; she said that without proper marketing and negotiating skills these efforts will remain fruitless.

Farida Rashid said that we should collectively strive to enhance the knowledge, skills, production activities, greater respect, access to markets and cultural symbolism used by women artisans.Such events promote local art and help empower women; she said adding that handcraft sector must be reinvented because of the modern-era challenges but without losing the history and tales behind the traditional designs.She called upon the leading promoters to allow craftswomen to show and sell their work at the various major expos at discounted rates as part of their corporate social responsibility drive.