Washington, July 13, 2023 — The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) today released a new report highlighting top research and initiatives that are driving women’s economic empowerment efforts worldwide, including proof around significant benefits that are often overlooked. In addition to improving the living standards of millions of women and their communities, women’s economic empowerment programs also boost trade and market resiliency, reduce corruption and corporate risk, and support security strategy in conflict areas.
The comprehensive CIPE report entitled “Women’s Economic Empowerment: Making Markets and Democracy More Inclusive and Resilient,” is intended to be a definitive resource for policymakers, program managers, and scholars. The publication includes evidence and case studies collected by leading experts and draws on lessons learned from CIPE’s 40 years of economic and democratic development work in more than 130 countries. The report is co-authored by Barbara Langley, Director of CIPE’s Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment, and John Morrell, CIPE’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
“Empowering women to participate in the economy not only offers significant benefits to their individual households, but also for entire countries and regions. We see very clearly through our work how specific efforts are enhancing economic growth, driving democratic innovations, and providing greater opportunities for new generations of women leaders, business owners, and workers,” says Langley.
A key section of the report details the impact of CIPE programs with partners in emerging economies and newer democracies. It includes examples and data from ongoing and recent initiatives in Guatemala, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Moldova, and many other countries. Among the most successful approaches identified:
- Opening Women’s Business Resource Centers for training and mentoring
- Building and strengthening networks of women’s business organizations
- Developing Women’s Business Agendas for policy advocacy and legal reform
“We are proving that economies grow faster and stronger when they are inclusive,” asserts CIPE Executive Director Andrew Wilson. “Access to financing and e-commerce, education, and property rights are some of the top challenges for women. Removing those barriers can give major boosts to productivity, raise the profitability of companies, and add stability in times of crisis.”
CIPE is incorporating the findings into plans to adapt its own program models for additional work across Eurasia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. This will include new partnerships with governments, multi-national companies, local business organizations, learning institutions, and think tanks.
For more information about CIPE and its programs, visit cipe.org, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter.
Published Date: July 13, 2023