ADB Gender’s Post

Many Women Economic Empowerment programmes focus on Entrepreneurship, giving women resources to start their businesses. Can that work? Can all women really become small-scale entrepreneurs? We suggest it would be best to tackle labour demand instead - creating JOBS that work for women. The focus should be on ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION rather than small-scale entrepreneurship. Read Laetitia Pettinotti and my insights, based on our work on Cote d'Ivoire: https://lnkd.in/dREhDP4V

This week is International Women's Day with the theme 'Invest in women: Accelerate progress' shining a light on the huge priority that is #FeministFinance: ❕ 1 billion women globally do not use or lack access to the financial system ❕ $300 billion is the size of the annual financing gap for women-owned MSMEs ❕ $4.5 trillion would be added to the Asia-Pacific GDP by tackling gender disparities in economic opportunities Our new United Nations ESCAP report “Financial Resilience, Inclusion and Entrepreneurship: Is Asia and the Pacific close to Gender Parity?” shows how countries in the Asia-Pacific region are doing in terms of #gendergaps in #financialinclusion, asset control and ownership, financial #resilience and #stress, and #entrepreneurship. We will launch the report at #CSW68 next week during our side event at UNHQ (Conference Room D) on 13 March at 1:15 pm. To find out more take a look at the article below: https://lnkd.in/gWmaZdrK

Overcoming Challenges: Financial Education for Women Entrepreneurs In the face of gender disparities in funding, financial education emerges as a powerful tool for women entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Here's how it helps bridge the gap: ●    Empowering Decision-Making: Financial literacy equips women with the knowledge to navigate the funding landscape effectively. By understanding financial principles, women entrepreneurs can make informed decisions about seeking and managing funds for their businesses. ●    Building Confidence: Access to financial education programs boosts confidence among women entrepreneurs. Armed with financial knowledge, they can engage with investors, negotiate terms, and advocate for the value of their ventures more effectively. ●    Facilitating Funding Access: Understanding financials is key to accessing funding. Financially literate women can articulate their business needs, present financial projections, and demonstrate the potential returns on investment, making them more attractive to funders and investors. ●    Driving Economic Empowerment: Financial education empowers women beyond funding challenges. It equips them with the skills to manage cash flows, assess risks, and optimize resources for growth. As women entrepreneurs thrive financially, they contribute to broader economic empowerment and gender equality. By investing in financial education for women entrepreneurs, we pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable funding ecosystem in Malaysia. Let's break barriers, empower women, and foster a future where every entrepreneur has equal access to funding opportunities. Let’s face this challenge together at the upcoming Investment Forum by IWFCIM https://lnkd.in/gBngY5FY #iwfcim #iif2024 #FinancialEducation #Empowerment #WomenEntrepreneurs #GenderDisparities #FundingEquality #Malaysia    

💰💪 Good news for Congolese entrepreneurs! The French Execution Agency will invest $12 million to support small and medium-sized businesses run by women in the DRC. 🌍📈 This initiative aims to encourage women's empowerment and boost the country's economic growth. 💼♀️💪 So ladies, it's time to make your ideas shine and develop your business! 🚀💼 Who is ready to take on this entrepreneurial challenge? 🙋♀️💼 #FemaleEntrepreneurship #EconomicDevelopment #DRC 🇨🇩💼🌍

The United Nations’s call for accelerated progress towards investment in women this International Women’s Day highlights an important issue: women entrepreneurs in our region continue to be invisible in the formal economy and financial system. If we are to truly ‘count her in’, the first vital step is for investors to see the potential and value of women entrepreneurs,and the financial sector to provide access to fair and safe loans for eligible people. Read more here and share our vision: https://lnkd.in/gSWn46jM #investinher #countherin #womenempowerment

Challenges Cameroonian Women Face in Doing Business in Cameroon

At microStart, women entrepreneurship is an essential topic. At the end, microfinance has been created for women! It's part of our DNA and our vision as we aim for a more inclusive society by facilitating the creation and development of viable enterprises and jobs for every individual, especially those experiencing financial and social inequalities. WomenInBusiness.hub.brussels launched their barometer on female entrepreneurship! Interesting findings and still a lot of work to be done to reduce barriers and make society more inclusive and fair! The report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/ehajRyDV Remember me the good report from OECD-OCDE on missing entrepreneurs. The report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eXn5tc3p #microfinance #womeninbusiness #women #socialimpact

“Imagine the progress that would be possible — for their families, communities and countries — if those who hold the keys to capital opened the doors to all.” - Melinda French-Gates for Bloomberg On the African continent, women contribute significantly to building a sustainable economy. In fact, they are considered the backbone of economic growth and stand at the core of development. However, they are still underrepresented and underfunded. A recent analysis by Africa: The Big Deal underlines the gender imbalance: Start-ups with a solo female founder or an all-female founding team only raised around 2% of all the funding for in 2023. Only 15% of the funding was raised by a solo female founder or a founding team with at least a woman. We are convinced that the African continent in general, and female entrepreneurs in particular, are indispensable economic importance. One of the areas we focus on with our program line "Business for Future” is women's economic #empowerment in the European-African context. Our Salon “No Women - No Future” brought together different perspectives from investors, founders, banks and politics to discuss what obstacles remain for women in starting their own companies and what challenges remain in accessing finances and investments with our partner Agentur für Wirtschaft und Entwicklung. Listen to our conversations with Deborah Choi, Pauline Koelbl, and Leago Takalani here: https://lnkd.in/gFC38xF9. To bridge the gender gap and make entrepreneurship more accessible, we need more: ➡ access to capital ➡ investment in women ➡ local funders ➡ #diversity ➡ #FeministDevelopmentPolicy ➡ demystification of risk https://lnkd.in/g_Gp7D97 #Africa #Entrepreneurship #investment #startup

Overcoming Challenges: Financial Education for Women Entrepreneurs In the face of gender disparities in funding, financial education emerges as a powerful tool for women entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Here's how it helps bridge the gap: ●    Empowering Decision-Making: Financial literacy equips women with the knowledge to navigate the funding landscape effectively. By understanding financial principles, women entrepreneurs can make informed decisions about seeking and managing funds for their businesses. ●    Building Confidence: Access to financial education programs boosts confidence among women entrepreneurs. Armed with financial knowledge, they can engage with investors, negotiate terms, and advocate for the value of their ventures more effectively. ●    Facilitating Funding Access: Understanding financials is key to accessing funding. Financially literate women can articulate their business needs, present financial projections, and demonstrate the potential returns on investment, making them more attractive to funders and investors. ●    Driving Economic Empowerment: Financial education empowers women beyond funding challenges. It equips them with the skills to manage cash flows, assess risks, and optimize resources for growth. As women entrepreneurs thrive financially, they contribute to broader economic empowerment and gender equality. By investing in financial education for women entrepreneurs, we pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable funding ecosystem in Malaysia. Let's break barriers, empower women, and foster a future where every entrepreneur has equal access to funding opportunities. Let’s face this challenge together at the upcoming Investment Forum by IWFCIM https://lnkd.in/gBngY5FY #iwfcim #iif2024 #FinancialEducation #Empowerment #WomenEntrepreneurs #GenderDisparities #FundingEquality #Malaysia

Empowering women in entrepreneurship is vital for economic growth and progress. As a proud advocate for women in business, I believe it's crucial to foster an environment where female entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka can thrive and contribute significantly to the economy. Women entrepreneurs bring innovation, diversity, and resilience to the business landscape. However, they often face unique challenges, from access to funding to balancing work and family responsibilities. Therefore, the support system provided by the government plays a pivotal role in their success. 🌐 Initiatives promoting access to capital, mentorship programs, and tailored training can significantly aid aspiring and established women entrepreneurs. Moreover, policies focusing on networking opportunities can empower women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams while managing other obligations. 🇱🇰 I believe that by collaborating closely with industry leaders, organizations, and policymakers, the Sri Lankan government can implement impactful strategies. Let's work towards creating an ecosystem that not only encourages but celebrates the achievements of women in business. Together, let's pave the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future! #WomenEntrepreneurship #Empowerment #SriLankaBusiness #WomenInBusiness