Category: Gender

The Difference a Day in a Year Makes

We all know time is our most precious commodity. We all struggle to find enough time to dedicate to our families, hobbies, interest, work and friends. So when it comes time to embark on something new, we often get scared by the time commitment involved. “Will I have enough time for it? What is the […]

Bridging the Gap for African Women in Business

As we get closer to the 2015 deadline, the debate about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is no longer about whether the goals will be met but instead what will replace them. The debates about what the new development agenda should look like have generated wide-ranging opinions and a corpus of literature has been produced […]

Women's Economic Equality In The Middle East

“Women are not making it to the top of any profession anywhere in the world – the numbers tell the story quite clearly,” says Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in her 2010 TEDx Talk. Sandberg’s advice to women in her New York Times bestseller, “Lean In,” is relevant across the globe: less than half of working-age […]

Women’s Economic Equality In The Middle East

“Women are not making it to the top of any profession anywhere in the world – the numbers tell the story quite clearly,” says Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in her 2010 TEDx Talk. Sandberg’s advice to women in her New York Times bestseller, “Lean In,” is relevant across the globe: less than half of working-age […]

Empowering Mothers to Save Child Lives

Becoming a mother is one of life’s most joyous moments. In an instant perspectives change and the instinct to protect takes hold. Providing a safe and nurturing environment is top priority for mothers around the world. Imagine doing that in an environment where your child might not live to reach five years old. This is […]

Afghan Women’s Economic Empowerment

, Kabul, Afghanistan All around the world, women’s economic empowerment is at the forefront of development debates. Recently, fears have crystallized about a reversal of the opportunities Afghan women have seized in the last decade. These fears include a surge in violence against women, and a decline in rights. Yet in the shadow of war, […]

Inclusive Business for Women Entrepreneurs

Women make up half the world’s population, but in many cultures and countries, women entrepreneurs face enormous challenges accessing opportunities – in education, business, and capital. Audry Maulana asks: What does the term “inclusive business” mean for some of the women attending IBF 2013? “Inclusive business is not charity,” even if the aim for many […]

Better Menstrual Hygiene is Good for Business

Every girl has a story about it. No woman, however old, probably forgets the experience of her first period. And the experience is more likely to have been negative than positive. In the developed world, where sanitary products are still advertised using a blue liquid that has yet to emerge from women, there is probably […]

The Role of Business in Tackling the Sanitation Crisis

Approximately 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, of which nearly 1 billion practise open defecation. The health issues that result are a major source of human suffering while the associated economic issues keep communities, and nations, trapped in poverty. Diarrhoeal disease that is in a large part a result of inadequate sanitation, unsafe […]

"Gender-Neutral" Financial Services

I recently stood in front of a group of investors and business coaches and explained the gap in investment in women-led small businesses. After the presentation, an audience member asked me whether I thought banks and investors should start biasing their services toward women. “No,” I replied, “you should unbias them away from men.” This […]

“Gender-Neutral” Financial Services

I recently stood in front of a group of investors and business coaches and explained the gap in investment in women-led small businesses. After the presentation, an audience member asked me whether I thought banks and investors should start biasing their services toward women. “No,” I replied, “you should unbias them away from men.” This […]

Helping to Change the Lives of Disadvantaged Girls

The 2013 chapter of finally came to a close on 30 August with a total of US$45,000 in grants awarded to three well-deserving projects put forward by young and inspiring changemakers from India, Uganda and the United States. I met this year’s finalists for the first time at the welcome dinner which kick-started the four-day […]

Creating Opportunities for Rural Girls in India

A two-year-old girl named Arshi was one of last people in India to get polio. Her case is remarkable for a number of reasons. First and most obvious, her case – now more than two years old – shows the tremendous strides we’ve made against polio. There has been no case of wild polio in […]

Keeping Our Promise to Every Woman, Every Child

Each of us has felt the sting of a broken promise, most likely in our early childhood. The lesson leaves a lasting impression, teaching us that when we make a promise, we must honor it. The launch of Every Woman, Every Child by the United Nations three years ago sparked a series of promises to […]

Empowering Women through the Coca-Cola Value Chain

Photo: Regina Maria Silva Gomes, Recycling Cooperative Founder, Brazil The CSR Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School and Business Fights Poverty Release New Study of The Coca-Cola Company’s 5by20 Initiative Women’s economic empowerment is a powerful development driver. For instance, Goldman Sachs estimates that closing the gender gap in 15 high potential emerging markets could […]

Helping Women Overcome Cultural Norms to Become Innovative Entrepreneurs

With a focus in economic development in Africa, I decided to spend my summer interning with a nonprofit organization in Ghana. The organization addressed development issues from the aspect of women empowerment, by creating a global market for the goods produced by women entrepreneurs. They were seamstresses, bead makers, and batik makers; batik is an […]

Half the Sky: Change the Way We Talk About Women and Gender Equality

On September 4th 2013, the Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM UK) and Women in Social Finance networks are co-hosting the UK screening of the highly acclaimed documentary Half the Sky. We want to share this landmark film with the change-making Business Fights Poverty community as Half the Sky is a breakthrough on how the world thinks […]

Meet Anowara Shuley: Sewing Fabrics and Reaping Success

Anowara Shuley is challenging traditional beliefs, empowering destitute women and educating the poor. Following a family dispute which left her destitute, she embarked on a self-funded tailoring course. At the age of 24 she launched her business, Shawon Hosto Shilpo, producing fashion and handcrafted products for sale in Dhaka in Bangladesh. However, due to a […]