With their own businesses and as workers, Egypt’s women can be winners
Rabeha is Arabic for “winner”. It is the brand name for a programme to provide women in Egypt with the means, knowledge and confidence to realize their unique and valid work-related goals, either as entrepreneurs, early-stage businesswomen or as paid employees. The Rabeha programme, run jointly by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and […]
The Kenyan woman changing young farmers’ futures
Twenty years ago, Victorine Atieno Owino began her career as a volunteer at the Ugunja Community Resource Center in southwest Kenya’s Siaya County. She filled her days organizing books as a librarian and handling paperwork as an administrative assistant, supporting the center’s work building the skills of local community members. But a common need began […]
Empowering underserved women around the globe
A look at inspiring inclusive business ventures and supporters to underserved women In Zambia, beekeeping used to be men’s work. Making beehives from barks and hanging them high up into trees requires strength. Later, farmers spend days in the fields to harvest honey. For women with children, this is hardly possible. This is gradually changing. […]
Bridging the gender digital divide for Indigenous women in Guatemala
“I do not understand how [Internet] coverage works, but I do know that I want this project in our community,” said Nadia Macz Sel, a representative from a savings and entrepreneurship program in Guatemala. “I want my kids to have access to electricity, Internet, and a computer. It might be too late for me, but […]
The time to accelerate the “S” in ESG is now
She looks up with tears in her eyes and explains in Bengali that her children are now too old, and she missed her chance to get the legal allowed months for mother’s leave. The scene takes place in a small humid room in one of the thousands of factories in the ready-made garment sector in […]
Gender Equity: The Foundation for a Resilient Future
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, on 8 March, is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. This reflects the fact that women are disproportionately impacted by climate change, while also having less access to the opportunities that a transition to a greener future can bring. More women live in extreme poverty – […]
Systems Theory Through a Gender Lens
Entering Emerging Markets with Impact Awareness While the gender gap represents $28 trillion that could be added to global GDP by 2025, the pipeline of potential investments remains elusive for many funds. This is due to a range of factors including unconscious bias, a rigged system, lack of access to female networks, and lack of […]
Regenerative agriculture and women farmers
At Business Fights Poverty we’ve delved into how intertwined Resilience, Equity and Opportunity are in our fight for climate justice – access Climate Justice Summit resources. As youth activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez said, “The planet doesn’t need saving, we do”, and so taking a people-centred approach towards the Climate Crisis is the necessary way forward. I […]
A transformative journey: Kasha’s mission to provide equal health access to all women
There are a number of organisations striving to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Perhaps the fastest way is the rapid scale up of enterprises that make a real impact on people’s lives in low-income countries. Joanna Bichsel saw an opportunity to change the way that women in emerging markets get the health and self-care […]
Seeking entrepreneurs and SMEs that are innovating in the care economy
The entire global economic system relies on care giving – the millions of unrecognised and under-valued hours spent ensuring offices are cleaned, children and the elderly are taken care of, and food is prepared for families and workers. Usually this type of work is viewed as a ‘burden’, and a barrier to women’s economic empowerment, […]
Bridging the gender digital divide and improving girls’ self-esteem – An opportunity to partner with UNICEF
WHY: The gender digital divide and low body confidence and self-esteem amongst girls and young women Girls are a tremendous engine for transformational change. Equipped with the right resources, the world’s 600 million adolescent girls have the potential to become the largest generation of earners, leaders, innovators and change-makers. Globally however, adolescent girls are persistently […]
16 Days of Activism: Essential resources from the Business Fights Poverty resident gender expert
The United Nations is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence under the global theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” The 16 days kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. We invited our resident […]
16 Days of Activism: Essential resources from the Business Fights Poverty resident gender expert
The United Nations is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, under the global theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” The 16 days kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. We invited our resident […]
Putting People at the Heart of Climate Action: 3 Reasons Business Must Care
We’re just over two weeks away from a critical milestone in the fight against climate change. The UK will host the COP26 climate conference, bringing together countries to enhance their commitments for the first time since they made them under the Paris Agreement in 2015. The focus of attention has, rightly, been on those highlighting the […]
Why does so little funding go to women entrepreneurs, and what can we do about it?
Chetna Gala Sinha never thought she would start a bank. “But women came to me and said they wanted to open a savings account”, she recalls, “one woman blacksmith was insistent that she wanted to save to buy a tarpaulin cover for the rain. The banks were not ready to let her open an account […]
The pandemic, supply chains and gendered impacts
The Covid pandemic has had a profound impact on women across all dimensions of economic and social activity, finds briefing paper. From shifting gender roles in the household to the consequences on women’s roles within the economy to the health and well-being effects of the pandemic, the impact on women has been overwhelming. ISEAL, with […]
COVID-19 recovery: Why childcare must be part of the plan
Dinnah, a mother of two living in one of Nairobi’s informal settlements, is among the millions of informal workers hit hardest by COVID-19. Before the pandemic, Dinnah earned a few dollars a day selling fruits and vegetables in the streets – barely enough to meet her family’s needs. After dropping her seven-year-old daughter off at […]
How to implement effective grievance mechanisms
Monica Romis is Private Sector Human Rights Advisor at Oxfam Business Advisory Service. Oxfam is an international organisation that works to end global poverty and to help build a world less divided by money, race, borders or gender. In this session, Monica speaks about grievance mechanisms, and references good practices that can help companies move […]
Interview with Sitsofe Sah, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)
Miss Sitsofe Sah works for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as a Senior Accounts Assistant at the Accra East Regional Office. She is also the National Executive Treasurer of the Power Queen’s Club, a women’s employee association of ECG. As part of a series of interviews with participants of the Ghana Women in Energy conference, Dr. […]
New Learning and Insights Paper: Enhancing the Livelihoods of ‘Hidden Women’ in Global Smallholder Value Chains
Over a quarter of the world’s population make a living farming and working on small areas of land. Nearly half are women, who make crucial contributions to food security, livelihoods and global value chains. As a group, smallholder farmers remain among the world’s most vulnerable populations, facing precarious livelihoods and a disproportionate level of risk […]