KATHMANDU: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Anil Kumar Sinha, has said the women-friendly policies must be put into practice rather than limiting to paper.

Addressing an interaction titled ‘Women’s Opportunities in Startups: Challenges and the Way Forward’, organized by Policy Research Pvt Ltd here today, the Minister stressed the need to ensure women’s genuine access to and opportunities in enterprises, business, and startups.

“Women-friendly policies and approaches are meaningless unless they are put into practice,” he said. He added that promoting women’s entrepreneurship would chip in significantly to strengthening the overall economy.

Saying that debates on whether women can deliver in public roles are now outdated, Minister Sinha underlined the need for collective efforts from the State to society to promote women entrepreneurs. He also added that it is the responsibility of the State to further enable women.

Other participants at the event echoed the need for coordinated efforts to address challenges faced by aspiring women entrepreneurs like access to finance, skills development opportunities, and market access.

Director at Policy Research Pvt Ltd, Basudev Neupane, said policy, technological, and institutional support are essential for the sustainability of women-led startup businesses, adding that substantive plans and actions are required to achieve this goal.