What can multinational corporations do to encourage women in business, and how can companies benefit from women’s empowerment? Isobel Coleman looks at these questions in Foreign Affairs, “The Global Glass Ceiling: Why Empowering Women is Good for Business.”

“Some companies already promote initiatives focused on women as part of their corporate social responsibility programs…. But the truly transformative shift… will occur when companies understand that empowering women in developing economies affects their bottom lines.”

Companies are incorporating women-owned businesses into supply chains, offering microcredit to distributors (Hindustan Unilever), or teaching literacy and workplace skills (Walmart). Coleman’s five-point plan includes an innovative recommendation for companies to support local organizations that help women, for example by extending their access to property rights. Along these lines, CIPE is coordinating the provision of skills and advice to women’s business associations and similar organizations. Women’s associations in turn provide important services to their members, help new entrepreneurs get started, and provide a credible voice for women entrepreneurs.

Continue reading ‘Global Glass Ceiling’ »

In this video, the Executive Director of the Palestinian Business Women Forum (BWF), Doa Wadi, highlights the journey BWF has taken, as well as challenges and lessons learned along the way as BWF positions itself as the voice of women entrepreneurs throughout the West Bank. Using the results of a survey of Palestinian businesswomen administered last Fall, with CIPE’s support the (BWF) is conducting regular public-private dialogues and advocating for issues that matter most for women entrepreneurs in the West Bank.

To share an item with the Community of Women Entrepreneurs, send it to partners@cipe.org

This July, CIPE partner Fundación Paraguaya (FP) hosted a workshop for enterprising women. The 75 female participants are members of the Oportunet Network, an organization that works to encourage entrepreneurship for women living in rural cities. The workshop, held at FP’s Escuela Agrícola San Francisco was held over a two day period with activities, lectures, and discussions of technical tools required for entrepreneurship. CIPE is working with Fundación Paraguaya to develop public awareness of entrepreneurship and the value of entrepreneurial qualities and competencies in building a well-functioning democratic society.

Kim Bettcher
CIPE

To share an item with the Community of Women Entrepreneurs, send it to partners@cipe.org

CIPE’s fourth regional study of women’s business associations features Central and Eastern Europe. This report by Cornelia Rotaru explores the business environment, the role of women’s associations, and the status of women-owned businesses:

By reducing poverty and social exclusion, women’s business associations have contributed to job creation, advocated for sensible public policy, and started social responsibility initiatives. Business women’s organizations are actively engaged in entrepreneurship development, and provide necessary services to women: training in management and marketing, foreign languages, business information and contacts, participation in fairs and exhibitions, and IT support. Women’s business groups around the region have engaged women in the social or ethnic reconciliation process.

Continue reading ‘Women’s Business Associations in Central and Eastern Europe’ »

Continuing its profiles of women’s associations, the Center for International Private Enterprise puts the spotlight on Eurasia. The Eurasia study includes a regional tour by Nargiza Mashuri of associations in Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Ukraine:

The overarching mission of many women’s business associations within the Eurasia region is the creation of favorable conditions for economic development, social inclusion, and strengthening of women’s influence on economic and social policy. Women’s business associations also seek to increase the competitiveness of business women, promote and protect their interests, and form effective partnerships and cooperation between women-owned businesses.

A case study on the Baikal Regional Union of Women “Angara,” by Bea Celler, explores this association’s successful programs and challenges:

Continue reading ‘Women’s Business Associations in Eurasia’ »

Sharon Hadary of the Center for Women’s Business Research has an article in the Wall Street Journal on “Why Are Women-Owned Firms Smaller Than Men-Owned Ones?”

Based on her research, she believes that women are limited in business by their self-perceptions and the stereotypes others impose upon them. The challenges are related to the goals that women set, as well as their access to capital, markets, and networks. Hadary offers several recommendations, beginning with changing mindsets and the way women learn.

To share an item with the Community of Women Entrepreneurs, send it to partners@cipe.org

Join CIPE in celebrating International Women’s Day with exclusive blog posts and resources that capture stories and insight from our work with women around the world.

Learn more on the CIPE Development Blog.

To share an item with the Community of Women Entrepreneurs, send it to partners@cipe.org

International Women’s Day is already upon us again. How are you planning to celebrate? Last year at this time, on CWE we heard about special activities in Ghana, Bangladesh, Romania, Pakistan, and Nepal. What’s new and exciting this year?

Share your thoughts or activities related to Women’s Day and entrepreneurship: partners@cipe.org  Best wishes for a fruitful commemoration of women’s contributions to business and society.

Kim Bettcher
CIPE

For the Facebook lovers, we have a created a new community page. You can use it to get the community news and start conversations on expanding entrepreneurship. There’s no other page like it.

Visit the page and become a fan now! 

To share an item with the Community of Women Entrepreneurs, send it to partners@cipe.org

Kim Bettcher
CIPE

From the New York Times:

“HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS and Fidelity International in India are run by women. So is the country’s second-biggest bank, Icici Bank, and its third-largest, Axis Bank….

In a country where parents in some areas still prize boys over girls; where overall female literacy rates are poor; and Sania Mirza, a top tennis player, said this month that she would quit playing after marriage, the banking industry’s wealth of women in management may seem surprising. But women in the industry, many of whom have also worked in London and New York, say India provided the right combination of supportive, mostly male, managers and a diverse work environment that did not require them to be ‘one of the boys’ to succeed.” Continue reading ‘Women Bankers in India’ »