The Economic Commission of Africa (ECA), North Africa, has launched a capacity-building workshop for women owning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is in partnership with the Libyan Ministry of Economy and Trade.
This training will cover best practices and peer learning in export, digitization, and sustainable investments. The workshop in Tunisia, which began yesterday on the 24th, is currently in progress and will continue until the 27th of September. Participants include women entrepreneurs from Libya, representatives from the Libyan Ministry of Economy and Trade, and officials from other North African countries.
“The female labor force participation rate in North Africa (20.1% in 2024) has been below both the continental and global averages. SMEs can play a key role in creating employment for women. It is therefore important that our member States support the emergence and sustainability of women-led businesses in the sub-region,” said Adam Elhiraika, Director of the ECA Office for North Africa.
The ECA office in North Africa is undertaking this workshop now to support women-led SMEs and enhance their competitiveness and resilience by improving their access to export markets within the AfCFTA framework, strengthening their digital capabilities, and encouraging the adoption of sustainable practices.
The event had its previous chapter in Morocco, where approximately 350 women entrepreneurs benefited. This project has also recently expanded to benefit the women from Mauritiana.
The Economic Commission of Africa has been involved in many women empowerment initiatives too. African Union Strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment is a strategy, undertaken by ECA, that aims at maximizing opportunities, dignity, security, resilience, effective laws, policies, and institutions, and leadership, voice, and visibility for women in Africa. Another ECA initiative is the African Women in Processing initiative, wherein the focus is on advocacy, research, analysis, networking, and partnership building to promote policies that support women-owned businesses.