Gender Publications

May 9, 2013

Ready for Growth: Solutions to Increase Access to Finance for Women-Owned Business in the Middle East and North Africa

Produced by Vital Voices Global Partnership in cooperation with IFC and the MENA Businesswomen’s Network, this report surveyed 431 women business owners across 8 economies in the Middle East and North Africa to understand their needs, the critical obstacles they face in accessing finance, and identify real solutions to increase the economic contributions of women-owned SMEs.

88 pages | © May 2013 IFC | Complimentary

Jul 16, 2012

Fostering Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Special Economic Zones - The Case of Bangladesh

This study examines the role export processing zones (EPZs) can play in Bangladesh to promote women’s economic participation as a way to boost trade-zone competitiveness and generate sustainable jobs.

72 pages | © July 2012 IFC | Complimentary

Jul 16, 2012

Fostering Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Special Economic Zones

This global report examines the opportunity for special economic zones to promote women’s economic empowerment and boost zone and enterprise competitiveness in developing countries. The research covers Bangladesh, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Jordan, Kenya, and the Philippines.

240 pages | © July 2012 IFC | Complimentary

Jun 1, 2012

Bank of Deyang: Investing in women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises in China

Following the 2008 devastating earthquake in western China, IFC initiated an Emergency Assistance Program to enhance Bank of Deyang's capacity to lend to SMEs and enable it to support women-owned SMEs in the earthquake-affected areas, through both its Investment and Advisory Services.

 

Region: East Asia & the Pacific / Strategic Priority: Financial Markets / Key Topics: Women

Jun 1, 2012

IFC Provides Critical Business Skills to Small Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka

Thanks to the online SME Toolkit program — provided by IFC in partnership with Sri Lankan telecommunications company Dialog — Leelawathi Jayawardana, an entrepreneur of a coastal town of Rathgama, learned about best management practices and how to grow and diversify her business. "IFC gave me the motivation, the tools, and the confidence to become a successful business woman," Jayawardana says. REGION: South Asia / KEY TOPICS: Women, SMEs

Oct 1, 2011

Strengthening Access to Finance for Women-Owned SMEs in Developing Countries

Launched at the G20 Summit in November 2011, the report highlights key trends, challenges, and opportunities for advancing women's entrepreneurship and increasing their access to finance.

98 pages | © October 2011 IFC/Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) | Complimentary

Jul 1, 2011

Creating Opportunities for Women and Business (brochure)

2 pages | © July 2011 IFC | Complimentary

Apr 6, 2011

Toward Universal Access: Addressing the Global Challenge of Financial Inclusion

This publication highlights key trends, challenges, and opportunities for accelerating progress in financial inclusion and proposes major high-level poliy recommendations for consideration by the Group of 20 (G-20) policy makers to benefit a wider range of developing countries, including non-G-20 member countries.

Nov 22, 2010

2010 IFC Access to Finance Annual Report Review

This report highlights IFC’s progress in access to finance advisory services. More than 2.7 billion people in developing countries still lack access to basic formal financial services, such as savings or checking accounts.

Jun 1, 2010

Strategic Community Investment: A Good Practice Handbook for Companies Doing Business in Emerging Markets

This good practice handbook is meant for use by anyone who is interested in developing a company-supported community investment program or improving the performance of an existing one.

Mar 17, 2010

Women, Business and the Law 2010

Women, Business and the Law 2010 is a pilot report examining laws and regulations affecting women's prospects as entrepreneurs and employees. The report's quantitative indicators are intended to inform research and policy discussions on how to improve women's economic opportunities and outcomes.

Mar 16, 2010

Expanding Women's Role in Africa's Modern Off-Grid Lighting Market

The publication analyzes women's role as both consumers and entrepreneurs and identifies women-specific opportunities in the expanding market for modern off-grid lighting.

Mar 16, 2010

Women in Mining: A Guide to Integrating Women into the Workforce

Women in Mining provides a conceptual framework and a step-by-step approach to integrating women into mining and other extractive and heavy industries. It also shows how companies can increase the benefits that women and their families receive from these industries.

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Tonga

Women in Tonga are involved in a wide variety of businesses, while also being highly regarded in traditional society; however, as the "Tonga Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessment" report establishes, female professionals and entrepreneurs face several constraints that inhibit their full potential for economic growth.

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Vanuatu

The "Vanuatu Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessment" illustrates the need for ni-Vanuatu women to be included in the policy debate surrounding both the legal and regulatory impediments to doing business. With this, ni-Vanuatu business women can have a voice to ensure investment climate reforms also have a positive impact on the development of female-headed businesses.

110 pages | © March 2010 IFC | Complimentary|

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Pacific Samoa

The "Samoa Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessment" report indicates barriers that have been preventing women from realizing their potential in business. The report also seeks to offer ways in which Samoan business women ought to be informed about business processes as well as the benefits of these processes.

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Solomon Islands

In the Solomon Islands, women play a major role in the country's rural economy, as both producers and sellers of their produce at the market. The "Solomon Islands Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessment" points out that many of the women running these enterprises are, or have the potential, to be growth-oriented and provides simple and attainable tools for implementation.

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Timor-Leste

Women in Timor-Leste are estimated to own nearly half of all micro-enterprises, with many actively involved in trading, selling their produce to the market, and managing kiosks; however, as the "Timor-Leste Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessment" illustrates, women professionals and entrepreneurs also face several challenges in doing business in Timor-Leste.

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Papua New Guinea

Most Papua New Guinean business women operate informally, which limits their opportunity to access credit, property and justice as well as grow their businesses. Such barriers prevent women from further economic participation, and are outlined in the "Papua New Guinea Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessment", along with targets, activities and tools to address some of these barriers.

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Executive Summary

Empowering women with economic opportunity provides them with the means to take care of their families and communities, and escape the poverty cycle. The Gender and Investment Climate Reform Assessments for Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga and Vanuatu address some of the barriers preventing women from realizing their economic potential by providing practical and attainable solutions to improving business women's opportunities.

Mar 1, 2010

Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific - Case Study

"Economic Opportunities for Women in the Pacific" profiles 52 business women, representing countries where IFC works across the Pacific region, in 30 case studies. Women in the report share lessons in starting their businesses, and describe the obstacles and opportunities they encountered in their pursuit of growth. By revealing their future plans, the women provide inspiration for current and future business women of the Pacific to pursue greater entrepreneurial ventures.

Oct 1, 2009

Embedding Gender in Sustainability Reporting: A Practitioner's Guide

This resource has been produced by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and IFC, with the support of the governments of Iceland, Germany, and Switzerland, to help organizations using the GRI Sustainability Reporting Framework embed material gender issues in sustainability reports.

Aug 1, 2009

Gender Dimensions of the Extractive Industries

"Mining for Equity: The Gender Dimensions of the Extractive Industries" explores how men and women are differently involved in and impacted by the extractive industries (EI). It highlights the fact that, of the economic, social, and environmental impacts of EI, men typically have greater access to the benefits, while women are often more vulnerable to the risks.

Aug 1, 2009

Mainstreaming Gender into Extractive Industries Projects

"Mainstreaming Gender into Extractive Industries Projects: Guidance Note for Task Team Leaders" provides detailed technical guidance on how and when gender can be integrated into World Bank Extractive Industries project design, implementation and supervision.