The second volume of The Moving Forum will take a deep dive into the experiences, challenges, and opportunities that exist for women and minorities who take on leadership positions in entrepreneurial ventures and businesses. Each series, centered on a particular theme, presents a set of three to four informative and engaged conversations targeted towards young working professionals and undergraduate students.

This series will feature two-panel discussions on the personal experiences of women and minorities in different professions and industries and one panel on how governments, financial institutions, and investors can help them. The sessions will be hosted by Juna Mathema, Co-chairperson of the Women Entrepreneurship Development Committee (WEDC), from September 15-17, 2021.

The partners for this event are FNCCI, Women Entrepreneurship Development Committee, and WOW Magazine.

The program will go live on Facebook with a limited audience on Zoom.

**Panel 1: Manufacturing New Pathways

In a country where more than half the population is female, the 2018 economic census showed that less than a quarter of registered companies in Nepal are owned by women. However, despite systemic challenges, female ownership of businesses is on the rise. Nepali women have even come forward as leaders of manufacturing companies, a space traditionally dominated by men. They have brought with them unique ideas, solutions, and employment opportunities.

In this panel, women entrepreneurs from Jhapa, Nepalgunj, and Kailali, who are breaking barriers as business leaders, will share their stories of courage, resilience, and determination.

Date: 15 September, 2021, Wednesday
Time: 3:00 PM
Speakers: Tara Kumari Khatri Rokaya and Sharmila Adhikari


**Panel 2: Reshaping the World through Entrepreneurship

Nepali women who start businesses experience many challenges their male counterparts never have to face. Our social structures and traditional beliefs define clear roles and responsibilities for women which are often tied to providing services at home. These responsibilities and expectations often hinder women from becoming successful entrepreneurs. In our second panel, women entrepreneurs from Palpa, Janakpur and Mustang share their entrepreneurial journey. These women are the flag bearers of change in their communities and have brought about a paradigm shift in the possibilities for women in their community.

Date: 16 September, 2021, Thursday
Time: 3:00 PM
Speakers: Ranjana Kumari Aryal, Deepika Upadhyay, Sukun Rasaili BK


**Panel 3: Supporting Entrepreneurs from Different Places and Spaces

There is growing acceptance that talent alone is not enough to gain the opportunities to access the resources and skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur. Our Constitution and several Acts and policies acknowledge this and prioritize the needs of women. In response to this, there are several ways in which the government, civil society organisations, angel investors, and financial institutions are working to facilitate women led businesses. However, most women entrepreneurs are unaware of these facilities and tools - it is essential to bridge this gap through better communication, continuous dialogues, and interactions. In this panel, our panelists will speak about promoting women entrepreneurship and respond to the challenges and difficulties raised by women entrepreneurs in the earlier two panels.

Date: 17 September, 2021, Friday
Time: 3:00 PM
Speakers: Dr. Narayan Prasad Regmi, Rukmani Maharjan, Santona Malakar, Adv. Kunjani Pariyar Pyasi

For more details, please look at the Sign-up form

Viewers will be invited to participate in an essay contest in response to the stories and discussions featured in the panel. The top five entries will be announced three weeks after the last day of the event.

How to participate in the Essay Contest:
- Attend or watch the recordings of the three-panel discussions
- Submit an essay of up to 1,500 words based on the talks, on one of the following topics:

Pick one of the companies run by the women who participated in panel 1 ‘Manufacturing New Pathways and panel 2 ‘Reshaping the world through Entrepreneurship’. If you were the CEO of that company then "why, what, and how" would you bring about innovation?

What kind of policy initiatives do you think would support women entrepreneurs in Nepal? Why and how?

Why is it important to have equal representation in business and entrepreneurship? How does it ensure a more democratic and prosperous Nepal?

Requirements:
- Participants should currently be enrolled in an undergraduate/bachelor program
- The essay should be an original work, submitted in English
- The essay should build off the topics discussed in the panels
- Plagiarism will lead to automatic disqualification
- Submit to bookbusnepal@gmail.com with the subject “Submission for the Essay Contest on Women Entrepreneurs across Nepal” by midnight Sept 30, 2021


Deadline: September 30, 2021

**Certificates will be provided for the participants who attend all three sessions and participate in the essay contest.


**Top 5 essays will be announced on October, 2021. Winners will receive certificates and prizes!**