Women’s economic empowerment is more than a moral obligation, it is good business. The ICR Facility has been supporting business environment reforms that increase women's opportunities as entrepreneurs, investees, employees and leaders in public private dialogues.
Over the last 5 years, more than 60 interventions have been delivered in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries with the intention to make legal frameworks more gender-sensitive. As a result, 30 policies were adapted, creating new opportunities for millions of women.
In addition, 700 partners from the public and private sector gained capacity to diagnose, influence design and implement and evaluate gender inclusive business environment reforms.
How has the project done this? Through targeted, on-demand technical assistance, training and active knowledge management. Join the ICR Facility’s infopoint session to find out!
The ICR Facility is co-funded by the European Union (EU), the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the British Council. The ICR Facility is implemented by GIZ, the British Council, Expertise France, and SNV.
- the EU's international role | international cooperation
- Thursday 13 March 2025, 11:00 - 12:30 (CET)
- Online only
Practical information
- When
- Thursday 13 March 2025, 11:00 - 12:30 (CET)
- Where
- Online only
- Languages
- English
- Organisers
- International Partnerships InfoPoint
Description
The session will share lessons learnt and present knowledge products produced by the ICR Facility, including “How to make the business environment work for women’s economic empowerment? Lessons learnt by the ICR Facility”.
We will present lessons learnt through the implementation of more than 60 interventions, in different parts of the ACP regions. Then we will do a deep dive in an interesting case study “Improving access to finance for women-owned businesses in Nigeria”.
You will hear the perspective from Daberuje Onesi-Lawani, Director of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) one of our partners in Nigeria, where we delivered evidence and tools to design and deliver gender responsive financial interventions for women owned enterprises. We have published the findings in an ICReport on “Enhancing Access to Finance for Women-Owned Enterprises” and a tool that could be useful for other partners “Gender inclusive access to finance checklist”.
Frank Okafor, Senior Programme manager EUF Nigeria, will tell us more about the coordination role of the EUD. How it has made links for this intervention, amongst others, with partner organisations and other donor agencies on the ground, as well as links with ongoing programmes supported by the EU. This has led to increased effectiveness and sustainability.
You will also meet Irene Danquah, an ICR Facility technical advisor who managed this intervention in Nigeria, and many more across the ACP regions. She is also the co-author of the publication “How to make the business environment work for women’s economic empowerment? Lessons learnt by the ICR Facility”.
Paz Velasco, the EU’s Head of Sector Investment Climate and Entrepreneurship overseeing the implementation of this programme, will share how the ICR Facility fits with the DG INTPA’s overall strategies and what is coming after the ICR Facility ends in August 2025.
Anthony Brand, the OACPS’s SME expert will share insights from the OACPS’ work to support Women’s Economic Empowerment, through a variety of programmes.
Speakers
- Paz Velasco Velasquez, Acting Head of Unit INTPA E2- Trade, Investment Climate, Entrepreneurship & Value Chains
- Irene Danquah, technical advisor at the ICR Facility,
- Daberuje Onesi-Lawani, Director at The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)
- Frank Okafor, Green and Digital Economy Section, Delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS
- Anthony Brand, SME Expert, Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)
Language: English
Q&A session languages: English
Registration
Register for online participation to the Webex meeting (Webex link will be communicated upon registration)
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