Investing in women is smart economics that transforms lives

In Kenya, where women make up nearly half of the labour force and a significant share of micro and small business owners. [Courtesy]

When women are empowered with wealth, power and autonomy, they drive measurable economic growth, create positive change in their communities, and enable real contributions to Gross Domestic Product growth.

Gender equality is not merely a social aspiration. It is an economic imperative. According to the World Bank, women-owned businesses account for nearly half of all micro, small and medium enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. Yet women entrepreneurs continue to face a disproportionately large financing gap estimated at over 42 billion dollars across the region. This gap is not about a lack of ambition. It is about a lack of access.