A publication of International Finance Corporation's Gender Program
Third Quarter Edition, Global Newsletter: July 2007
Introduction
IFC's gender program welcomes you to its eleventh quarterly newsletter designed to keep businesswomen in touch with key events, relevant research and, most importantly, each other! We provide brief descriptions of news, events, and online resources that will involve, inspire and inform you and others like you. Wherever possible and appropriate, we provide a link to further detail.
New Report on Arab Women Finds that Access to Capital and Business Skills are Key Challenges Reducing the time it takes to register a business and increasing access to capital topped the list of major challenges facing women entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa, according to a new report, entitled: "Women Entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa: Characteristics, Contributions and Challenges." Read more and download the report...
Women's World Banking and IFC Deliver Microfinance Training in Bosnia This spring the IFC and Women's World Banking facilitated a two-day workshop for staff of MI-BOSPO, a micro-credit organization targeting low-income women in Bosnia-Herzegovina. For more information, contact Jozefina Cutura.
Best-selling Author Discusses Gender and Ambition at the IFC This May the IFC hosted a discussion with Anna Fels, a psychiatrist and best-selling author of Necessary Dreams, on the issue of women and ambition. Fels' work identifies factors, particularly in the work environment, that prevent women from realizing their ambitions. Read more... (PDF document)
World Bank Hosts Consultation on the Legal Dimensions of Women's Economic Empowerment This June the World Bank facilitated a discussion that focused on how women's access to justice and the land, labor and financial markets is crucial for economic progress and poverty reduction. Read more on the World Bank Gender website or contact Arunima Dhar for additional information.
Emerging Women Business Leaders Learn about IFC For the second year in the row the participants of the FORTUNE/U.S. State Department International Women Leaders Mentorship program visited the IFC as part of a learning program. Read more...
IFC Identifies Gender-based Obstacles to Doing Business in Ghana More than 50 participants from government, civil society, and the private sector attended the launch of the Gender and Economic Growth Assessment for Ghana and the accompanying Voices of Women Entrepreneurs reportthis May in Accra, Ghana. For more information, contact Mary Agboli.
Female Police in Liberia Empower Women In a country where violence and abuse against women is prevalent, the first all-female police contingent ever deployed by the United Nations is giving Liberian women new confidence and increased safety. Read more...
Women's Affairs Ministers Gather in Uganda Thirty-two delegations of women's affairs ministers from 53 Commonwealth countries came together this June for the 8th Women Affairs Minister's Meeting in Uganda. A women's business forum and an access to finance workshop resulted in a series of important recommendations on increasing access to finance for women. Read more...
UN Survey Finds that Discrimination against Women is Losing the Asia-Pacific Regions Billions of Dollars Every Year The 2007 Economic and Social Survey for Asia and the Pacific has found that barriers to employment for women cost the region from $42 billion to $47 billion (5 trillion to 5.6 trillion yen) annually. Read more...
Citibank, Financial Times Promote Micro-entrepreneurship The Citi Foundation and the Financial Times have teamed up to launch "There's Nothing Micro About It," an awareness campaign promoting micro-entrepreneurship through an awards program . Read more...
Starbucks to Feature Rwandan Coffee while Empowering its Women Through an effort that has involved both aid agencies and private firms, Starbucks stores are set to feature Rwandan coffee this year. Women coffee growers in Rwanda are slated for special support through training and professional development. Read more...
Financing for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment on UN's Agenda The UN Division for the Advancement of Women is organizing a discussion to improve understanding of the mechanisms of financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women, identify lessons learned, and highlight challenges that require action. Read more and register...
"The G8 emphasize the importance of the political and economic empowerment of women as a contribution to sustainable growth and responsible government. We are promoting the World Bank's Gender Action Plan and welcome this and further initiatives supporting our African partners' efforts to foster the economic empowerment of women such as those taken by the United Nations."
– G8 Summit, Growth and Responsibility in Africa, Summit Declaration (8 June 2007)
Nejira Nalic, Director, MI-BOSPO As the director of MI-BOSPO, a Bosnian micro-credit organization, Nejira Nalic has helped to empower over 20,000 low-income women in this post-conflict country by providing them with access to micro loans for their small businesses. Growing up in a country where women are entitled to equal rights under the legal system, Nejira understands the hidden inequality that Bosnian women still face in the society despite the positive legislation. "There are more and more women coming out and getting involved in social spheres, especially health and education," she says. "But a lot are still suffering from lack of opportunities and gender-based violence."
Nejira started her work on gender issues during the Bosnian fighting in the early 1990s when she established "Red Lily," a non-governmental organization that mobilized young women volunteers to work in hospitals. Nejira now works to leverage women's economic power, guided by the belief that economic empowerment helps women shape their future, and inspired by the strong and capable women of her country.
With 111 staff, 65 percent of whom are women, MI-BOSPO has big plans for its future, and aims to reach an even higher number of clients. The organization is a member of Women's World Banking, a global network of microfinance institutions. Nejira equates her own success with the success of MI-BOSPO clients, and with the success of colleagues who are running and developing MI-BOSPO into a sustainable success.
Nejira Nalic has appeared as a guest speaker at many international conferences and seminars, including the World Bank and IMF Annual Meeting in Prague in 2000, the annual meeting of the Microfinance Center of Eastern Europe, Women's World Banking events, and the Micro-credit Summit.
Each newsletter we spotlight either a women's business association that has developed an innovative idea or process that promotes women's entrepreneurship, or an enterprising woman who has achieved success. If you have a success story to share, please email us with the details. We look forward to sharing your stories.
IFC is looking for women and men experienced in the field of private sector development and gender for future short-term assignments. If you have relevant experience and would like to be included in our database, please email us.