SCWEC PRODUCT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT-CERTIFICATIONS IN THE HANDICRAFTS, TEXTILE AND FOOD SECTORS was held at New Delhi, India. The aim of this workshop was to attempt to raise the quality of products produced by businesswomen in the SAARC region by giving inputs on quality certifications that are benchmarks for quality. Quality management systems were also discussed both at the micro level, for SMEs and at the macro level for SCWEC as a whole. Representatives of SCWEC from the handicrafts, textile and food sectors from all the SAARC member states participated in the workshop.

The CHANCE Workshop SCWEC MARKETING OUTLETS & REGIONAL EXPOSURE TOUR TO AARONG was held at Dhaka, Bangladesh. The aim of this Workshop was to provide inputs to SCWEC on the setting up of their proposed marketing outlets in each country, discuss the existing Crafts Village at Nepal as a good example and study the marketing techniques of Aarong and consider its replication in the SAARC countries. Participants for this Workshop were the office bearers of SCWEC from the member nations of the SAARC region.

CHANCE and project partner SCWEC (SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurs Council) organized a three day mega event in Chennai. At the SCWEC Global Green Business Summit environment-friendly products were exhibited at the exhibition. Topics on the role of women in politics, decision making, women on the corporate ladder, in social reforms, media was discussed at the plenary sessions.

South Africa hosted the CHANCE Summer Academy 2010. Women entrepreneurs and representatives from South Asian and Southern African Business Women’s Associations came together to share and discuss experiences, to learn from each other and find out how to adapt current approaches to enhance success as well as to strengthen existing and set up new networks.
The Summer Academy focused on topics such as Professionalised Service Delivery by Business Women’s Associations (BWAs), Preparing for successful Trade Missions (Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce & Industry), Advocacy and Lobbying .

A workshop entitled “Businesswomen’s Associations-Marketing through the Internet” was organized at Hotel Westin, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The focus of this workshop was on improving the marketing possibilities of Businesswomen’s Associations through the use of the Internet. It was participated by women entrepreneurs from Bangladesh and other countries of the SAARC region.

A workshop on” Product Quality Management for Handicrafts & International Certifications for Businesswomen” took place at the Hotel Taj Connemara in Chennai, India. The workshop was funded by InWEnt and hosted by the SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneur Council (SCWEC). Participants of heads from Businesswomen’s Associations across the SAARC region attended the workshop which was focused on textile handicrafts.

The Trade Fair showcased products using traditional skills focusing not only on Nepalese craftsmanship but also on South Asian skills for growth and economic empowerment. The Trade Fair was inaugurated by the Rt. Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal.

A workshop funded by InWent on "SCWEC Brand Building for Handicrafts and Agro-products-Regional Cooperation through Exchange of Information and Skills" brought together representatives of businesswomen’s associations from the SAAR Countries at Hotel de la’Annapurna, Kathmandu, Nepal. It focused on the Challenges for Brand Building of SCWEC handicrafts and agro-products, provided information on best practices with the aim to develop an Action Plan for Brand Building at the end. More than 50 participants attended this workshop.

On the occasion of 100th International Women’s Month, a two day workshop on “Advocacy Forum for Better Economic Policies for Women Entrepreneurs” held on Hotel de l’Annapurna, Kathmandu, Nepal on 27th and 28th.The participants of the Forum were expertsoffice bearers of SCWEC, representative Government officials from all the SAARC countries, high level executives of the SAARC Secretariat and international agencies.
The objective of the Advocacy Forum is to improve the economic climate for women’s entrepreneurship by indicating specific policies that would achieve this improvement. Best practices from ALEAP Credit Guarantee Association, India and First Women Bank Ltd., Pakistan were , giving an opportunity to other countries to implement the same.