This March, the world turns its attention to women — celebrating, supporting, and amplifying their voices. Why is this important? Because a world that advances gender equality and economic inclusion ultimately drives sustainable growth. In this edition, IFC Insights shines a spotlight on inspiring stories and investment opportunities that are helping shape an equitable world.

Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson is unapologetically breaking gender barriers as the first female group CEO of a publicly traded conglomerate in Sri Lanka — Hemas Holdings. She shares her inspiring story and calls on women to own their uniqueness — that’s the first step to embracing equity.

We also offer the sequel to the recent IFC report, in partnership with Coursera and the European Commission, on Women and Online Learning, highlighting the experiences of five women from emerging markets whose lives and livelihoods have been transformed through online courses.

In Rwanda, women smallholder farmers are also learning, albeit offline. An agricultural training program is helping to boost productivity and empower smallholder farmers.

Happy International Women’s Day!

–  Emmanuel Nyirinkindi
Vice President, Cross-Cutting Solutions