SAARC Chamber for Women Entrepreneur’s Council (SCWEC) Meet, Bhutan

It was discussed that the member states identify potential individuals, both past and upcoming, who has made a difference in the regional body and submit it so that their works and contributions can be highlighted in the magazine.

SAARC Chamber for Women Entrepreneur’s Council (SCWEC) Meet, Bhutan

The CEO of BAOWE, Damchae Dem, in the recent SCWEC meet held in Thimphu said that it was extremely disheartening for the SCWEC body to have sidelined Bhutan in the recent SCWEC meet held on 29^th July.

Damchae Dem, who is also the Vice chair of the SCWEC body, said that Bhutan demands a explanation as to why it was never offered the SCWEC Chair, which was agreed that the chair of the SCWEC will be appointed on an alphabetical order. By virtue Bhutan was to be appointed the Chair of the body after Bangladesh, but it was overlooked and the chair was offered to Sri Lanka.

The vice chairperson added that the present chair of SCWEC must give a clarification as to why the rules were not followed and Bhutan sidelined from the body.

The chairperson, in her opening remarks, said that it was true that the chair was never offered to Bhutan and that she didn’t have any concrete reason as to why this happened. Nonetheless she said that such things should not happen in the future and that all member states henceforth work as a team to take the objectives of the SCWEC forward.

Apart from informing the delegates on the upcoming SCWEC trade fair to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in September this year, the participants deliberated on the issue of forming a SCWEC National Council in every member countries.

The National Councils, to be comprised of ten members each, should be elected from their respective women’s chambers and BAWOE in case of Bhutan, as a women chamber is yet to be established.

The delegates were also asked to come up with a calendar of events for the next six months, with a minimum of two events in all member countries, and submitted to the chair for necessary action and planning.

It was also decided that an executive committee meeting will be held in Sri Lanka in December this year. A calendar of events comprising of trade fair and field visits, developing criteria for the SAARC entrepreneur award, finalization of the SCWEC logo and developing a dynamic web page for SCWEC was also deliberated.

Host country Bhutan proposed for a conference of different councils to be supported by the ADB. It was deliberated that BAOWE work out on the plan and submit it to the chair for approval and inform the member countries of the date and venue of the proposed conference.

A delegate from India also proposed on the establishment of an outlet to manufacture women sanitary napkins to benefit the member countries. She said the ones presently available in the market had high health hazards and that a proper product be developed to help women in all SAARC nations.

The chairperson said that India work out on the proposal and submit it to the committee so that they can look at the possibilities of manufacturing it in a more women-friendly and sustainable way.

A proposal for publishing a SAARC who is who booklet/magazine was also deliberated upon. It was discussed that the member states identify potential individuals, both past and upcoming, who has made a difference in the regional body and submit it so that their works and contributions can be highlighted in the magazine.

Miss Pushpa Chhetri, in her concluding remarks, said that the meet was extremely fruitful and that she hoped for Bhutan to Chair the body in the coming years.