Assessing Gender Lens Investing in Blended Finance
Over the past few years, gender equality has become increasingly incorporated in the investment strategies of impact investors and institutional investors, with its benefits recognized from both a development and business perspective. Convergence has consistently tracked the alignment of blended finance transactions with SDG 5 (Gender Equality), witnessing a number of blended finance initiatives aiming […]
The power of parity: Advancing women’s equality in Africa for the continent’s growth prospects
Africa has so much promise. The continent is home to some of the world’s fastest growing economies and offers an exciting frontier for businesses looking for growth and new markets. And yet, persistent gender inequality is limiting its potential. Pockets of good news do exist, but they tend to be success stories for women at […]
Supporting Women Throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency Response and Economic Recovery
This brief highlight evidence from the Africa gender innovation lab and other promising research on mechanisms that can help protect the lives and livelihoods of women and girls – at the household level, in firms and farms, and during adolescence – in the context of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. Citation “World Bank. 2020. Supporting Women […]
Now is the time for the world to rally behind women in business
The covid-19 pandemic is ravaging the world indiscriminately, but a combination of health and economic factors means the pandemic presents a particular set of challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. SMEs already face challenges in accessing finance and will undoubtedly face unprecedented challenges due to covid-19. Women-led SMEs are the worst affected because they tend to be […]
Women Included: A gender sensitive approach to agribusiness investment
One of FMO’s aims is to actively contribute to reducing inequalities by, among other things, seeking investment opportunities that positively contribute to the full inclusion of women in economic, social and public life. Based on the findings and recommendations, in the next six months FMO will pilot the gender lens tool for Building Prospect investments […]
Moving the dial on gender-smart investing: why our new guide focusses on the ‘how’
“It’s about investing in women entrepreneurs; it’s financial inclusion for women; it’s getting more women into boards; it’s about better working conditions for women”. These were some of the responses fund managers gave us when asked what gender-smart investing is during workshops run by CDC and IFC for the past few years. The reality is […]
Investing in Female Entrepreneurs: A Social Issue or an Economic Opportunity?
A Global Review of Gender-Lens Investing in Light of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic The UN SDG No. 5 targets gender equality, and while that does make investing in female entrepreneurs or gender-lens investing a social justice, it is in truth good business to embrace diversity and invest in women-led businesses. Despite several studies […]
Womens Empowerment in Africa: Building Successful Female Entrepreneurs
Women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment continue to be key focus areas of development initiatives and action in Africa. While an increasing number of women occupy leadership positions in political, social and economic sectors, this has not translated into the overall empowerment of women.
The Experiences and Challenges of Women in the SADC Region the Case of Trade and Agriculture Sectors
SADC region. Across the world, evidence suggests that trade is an engine of growth (US Government Fact Sheet 2008). Agriculture on the other hand remains central to poverty reduction in the region. It provides a livelihood, including subsistence, employment and income particularly for the majority of the people living in rural areas. According to the […]
Regional Integration in Southern and Eastern Africa A Review of Informal Cross Border Trade
Regional integration has a long history in Africa, revealing that the reasons or objectives for integrating have been evolving over time. In many cases, the motivation behind regional integration was driven by the political decolonisation of Africa, although some exceptions can be noted where economic motives triggered the initiative. The Southern and Eastern Regional Economic […]