Driving Women's Economic Empowerment

Three years, 7,000 women, a lifetime of impact.

Watch the short film:

In Pakistan, women make up only 24% of the country’s labour market, and millions of women lack employment opportunities and job security. Those who cannot secure a stable livelihood are at high risk of falling further into poverty.  

Over the last three years, in collaboration with our local partners, and thanks to a £2.2m grant from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s UK Aid Match Fund, the British Asian Trust delivered the Driving Women’s Economic Empowerment programme (DWEE). Our aim was to enable women from marginalised communities to set-up a businesses or secure long-term employment.

DWEE goes beyond skills training to create sustainable livelihoods through market linkages, ecosystem development and behavioural and attitude change. The cornerstone of the programme is ensuring all participants gain access to the relevant expertise to start a career or set-up in business, thereby increasing their social and economic resilience.

Video Transcript:

In 2021 the British Asian Trust launched our three-year Driving Women’s Economic Empowerment programme, supported by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development’s Office’s UK Aid Match Fund.

Together with the British public, we aimed to reach thousands of women from marginalised communities, giving them the skills, training and support to break free from poverty.

Through work placements, business development tools, and a supportive network, we helped women like Sobia and Saba start their own businesses and careers.

Now more than 7,000 women have been empowered to lead independent lives, supporting their families, educating their children, and changing their futures.

This is the power of your support. Together we are creating lasting change.