ISLAMABAD: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) here on Saturday, aiming to Promote, strengthen Freelancing in Pakistan.
According to a news release issued here the MoU would help in bridging policy advocacy, and research and to create an enabling environment for freelancing in the country.
The cooperation between the two sides also focuses on creating awareness about the importance and significance of freelancing and self-employment and bolstering Pakistan’s freelancing exports by upskilling the community with a particular focus on the youth and women in the country. It would help to get them access to skill training, awareness campaigns about policies, and raising the issues faced by freelancers on policy fronts.
Under the MoU, SDPI, and PAFLA would jointly organize webinars, seminars, other trainings, and policy dialogues for freelancers and policymakers.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Executive Director (Research), SDPI, Dr Sajid Amin, expressed in his remarks said that SDPI was well placed as an independent policy think-tank to conduct robust policy influencing. He further said that the liaison with the private sector enabled SDPI to develop a comprehensive understanding of issues faced by stakeholders and to identify policy gaps both in the private and public sectors.
Documentation of Freelancing in Pakistan
Chairman of PAFLA, Ibrahim Amin, said that Pakistan was the third largest freelancing market with a reported annual size of rupee 2 billion; however, he added that only Rs700 million worth of freelancing export is documented, having no proper record of the rest.
He lamented that the high rate of undocumented exports was due to the lack of financial and regulatory literacy, low, competitive skills, and a general lack of awareness about freelancing in Pakistan. He emphasized that increasing internationally competitive freelancing skills and providing a conducive regulatory environment could increase documented freelancing exports and increase foreign remittances for economic growth in the country.
