South-South: Empowering and Growing Women-led Business Session N°9

Women entrepreneurs are central to economic growth and innovation, yet they continue to face systemic barriers that limit their participation and leadership. Across sectors, women often encounter unequal access to finance, technology, networks, and markets. Globally, women own roughly one-third of small and medium-sized enterprises, yet they receive only a small share of available business credit, and are underrepresented in leadership positions, holding less than 30% of senior management roles[1].

Beyond these structural challenges, women also bear a disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work. Globally, women spend 2.5 to 10 times more time on unpaid care activities, such as childcare, eldercare, and household chores, compared to men. This imbalance directly limits their ability to dedicate time to business development, networking, and skill-building.

In sectors like agrifood, women constitute over 40% of the workforce and play critical roles across production, processing, and marketing. Yet access to resources remains unequal: less than 15 % of agricultural landholders are women, and women farmers are less likely to access finance, technology, and markets[2]. Their contributions are essential for productivity, food security, and resilience, and greater inclusion is needed to ensure women-led enterprises can fully thrive

Beyond sector-specific impacts, the broader economic case for gender equality is compelling. Empowering women is not only a question of fairness but also of efficiency and resilience. The exclusion of women isn’t just a social issue; it’s an economic loss. Evidence suggests that closing the gender gap in entrepreneurship could add USD 5 trillion annually to global GDP[3], as increasing the number of women-led businesses would boost job creation, innovation, and community development.

Broader analyses indicate that eliminating gender discrimination in laws and economic participation could raise global GDP by over 20%[4], demonstrating the profound economic and societal benefits of gender equality. Achieving this potential requires more than programs targeting women alone; it depends on engaging men as partners, allies, and champions.

This webinar will highlight practical strategies and examples of men’s engagement in support of women entrepreneurs. Through South–South knowledge exchange, the session will demonstrate how men can actively support women-led enterprises and challenge restrictive gender norms; showcase tools, programs, and models that enable men to be effective allies in finance, leadership, and market access; and highlight policy, partnership, and ecosystem approaches that allow men’s engagement initiatives to scale across sectors and communities.

By positioning men as partners in women’s empowerment, this webinar aims to foster inclusive business environments where women entrepreneurs can thrive. Together, we can unlock growth, innovation, and resilience: for women, men, and entire communities.

[1] International Labor Organization. 2019. The business case for change.

[2] IFAD. 2026. Rural women, from investment to impact.

[3] World Economic Forum. 2025. Digital inclusion: How to unlock the $5 trillion opportunity for women entrepreneurs

[4] World Bank. 2024. New Data Show Massive, Wider-than-Expected Global Gender Gap.