BWA President on business women and current challenges

Nahar newspaper published an interview with Leila Karameh, president of the Business Women Association, where she outlined the realities facing women during the current difficult economic conditions, and the role of her association in that matter.
Karameh noted the worsening economic conditions in the country and the factors behind that situation. She indicated that the business activity level during this period is almost ‘zero’, and that the situation of business women has fallen under the red-line; in view of demands for reimbursement of bank loans at a time when their enterprises have recorded almost no income for more than a year. She also pointed out to difficulties in concluding soft loan agreements with the banks who still insist on getting approval and signature of their husbands, in addition to the other normal financial guarantees.
Regarding her association, she indicated that the objective from its establishment in 1997 was to bring together the business women community together in one body. Today, the association includes 52 business women members originating form all parts of the country and confessional groups. Concerning the level of participation of women in the business community, Karameh identified three key obstacles to which the association was confronted in trying to conduct a study on this matter. The first obstacle is that business women are not enrolled in chambers of commerce, the second is that there are companies registered in the name of women while in effect they belong to the husbands who work in the public sector and therefore cannot register the establishment in their name. The third obstacle is the fact there are a large number of women who work in crafts at homes without a commercial register. Furthermore, Karameh outlined some of internal problems she faced in the association which recently witnessed an internal dissension fueled by an external political figure. In terms of new activities, she indicated that the Association is preparing to participate in a major marketing event and conference in Qatar organised by Businesswomen League of Qatar presided by Sheikha Al-Anound Al Thani.
Politically, the head of BWA explained that her recent candidacy for Parliament was out of concern for women and development, and in order to make the voices of Lebanese women heard in decision-making circles. From a developmental perspective, Karameh aims is to reinforce the position of Tripoli on the country map, economically, educationally, developmentally and media wise. For that, she is seeking to set up a vocational center in Tripoli to educate young men and women who dropped out from the educational system and so as to help them in finding work opportunities.
Source: Al-Nahar 20 July 2013