Online Training of Women Entrepreneurs on Expanding Online Business through E-commerce Platform
Channel: UNESCAP SSWA
Date: 23/06/2021

Day 1: 22 June 2021 
Time:  13:00-18:00 hours (IST, UTC + 5:30 hours) 
Day 2:  23 June 2021
Time 13:00-18:00 hours (IST, UTC + 5:30 hours)

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a phenomenal and critical strain on the worldwide economy and the public health systems. The pandemic is also highlighting and magnifying the pre-existing inequalities and amplifying the multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities faced by women and girls. While the businesses in South Asia have been badly affected by the pandemic, women entrepreneurs are among the worst hit. It is thereby required to strengthen and promote women entrepreneurship in South Asia by bridging the existing digital divide. Promotion of women entrepreneurship will bring many positive ripple effects including its ability to boost job creation, alleviate poverty and thus facilitating inclusive and sustainable growth.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has also led to an exponential increase in e-commerce business in the region. E-commerce business has provided a huge opportunity to women entrepreneurs to overcome the challenges faced and explore the global and regional markets. It can be a powerful tool for bringing in greater gains to women entrepreneurs since it addresses the outmoded barriers of geographic isolation and limited access to information and financing along with empowering South Asian women entrepreneurs socially and economically. Keeping this in view, this training is being organized to equip the women entrepreneurs of South Asia to use digital and online platforms to expand their business as well as creating awareness on the existing opportunities for promoting business through e-commerce as well as establishing a network amongst the women entrepreneurs.

The virtual training aims to provide the following to the women entrepreneurs:

* introduction to digital marketing and e-commerce
* introduction to online e-learning course on e-commerce
* hands-on training on how to register and link their business to an e-commerce platform
* building a network of women entrepreneurs and provide opportunity to display their products and services to fellow participants.