1. Short Diagnostic of the Women Business
Associations in South Asia
- overview -
Camelia Bulat, CIPE Representative
February 2nd, 2013
Copyright © 2012 by the Center for International Private Enterprise. All rights reserved

2. CIPE Diagnostics
• Gather basic information about the organizations;
• Assess organizational capacity and ability to serve members
needs;
• Assess role of the organization in advocacy;
• Assess women business associations from:
– India,
– Sri Lanka,
– Nepal,
– Bhutan
– Pakistan

3. TOPICS
• Information about the organization
• Organizational capacity:
– Strategy: mission, vision, objectives,
goals
– Governance
– Board, Management and Staff
– Membership
– Programs and Services
– Finance
– Advocacy

4. Basic information
• All associations included in
the survey have an office,
phone numbers, emails
and website.
• Establishment:
– rather new organizations;
– After 1983
• Type: women chambers,
women associations,
federations

5. Strategy / Mission / Vision / Goals
• All organizations have mission
statements, visions, goals and
objectives;
• Key words from the mission and
vision statements:
– equitable society,
– empower women entrepreneurs,
– enhance the status of women,
– develop and promote women
entrepreneurship
– develop successful models
– advance the interests of business
women.

6. Governance
• Registered, formal organizations
• Articles of incorporations, written
policy and procedures, codes of
conduct
• Boards of Directors: Volunteers
• Diverse board size: 4 , 9, 15, 19
• Good practice: terms in serving on
the Board
• Board renewal: yes/ no
• Executive team / staff

7. Membership
• Small => large membership
base;
• Women in business,
entrepreneurs, managers,
professional policy makers;
• Different membership
categories: organizations,
associate, individual
entrepreneurs, life
membership;
• Feed-back, benefits, value
to membership

8. Programs and Services
• Various programs
dedicated to women
development, training,
entrepreneurship, fairs,
exhibitions, networking,
etc;
• Strong partnerships
with international
organizations

9. Finance
• Dues;
• Donors;
• Sponsors
• Board support

10. Advocacy
• Identify challenges;
• Advocacy activities;
• Emphasis on access to
finance;
• Partnerships with public
authorities;
• Good communicators.