The Week That Was: Global Women Empowerment News Overview (12th June - 17th June)

Women entrepreneurship and leadership are essential for driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and promoting gender equality. Women entrepreneurs bring unique perspectives and skills to the business world, creating diverse and inclusive environments. They have the autonomy to pursue their passions, achieve financial independence, and contribute to community development. Women leaders, with their collaborative and empathetic style, inspire and motivate others towards common goals, not only in business but also in social enterprises and public sectors.

However, women still face challenges such as limited access to finance, gender biases, and work-life balance issues. To address these barriers, it is important to provide financial support, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Governments, organizations, and communities should create supportive ecosystems that empower women to succeed in entrepreneurial and leadership roles. By nurturing women entrepreneurship and leadership, societies can unlock the full potential of women, drive economic growth, and build more inclusive and equitable societies. We present accomplishments of women leaders at (theglobalwomanleader.com)

Standard Chartered Bank & Singapore Management University Launch Women in Entrepreneurship Incubator

Standard Chartered Bank announced the launch of a new Women in Entrepreneurship Incubator in partnership with Singapore Management University’s Lien Centre for Social Innovation. Funded by the Bank’s $300,000 donation to the university, the incubator aims to support female entrepreneurship that is focused on achieving social impact. Through the incubator, aspiring and current female entrepreneurs will receive training, mentoring and seed funding.

It has been observed that female entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia face several roadblocks in accessing mentorship, networking opportunities and funding. Women receive just eight per cent of VC funding despite accounting for 30 per cent of the region’s entrepreneurs found an International Finance Corporation (IFC) report from 2020. The Women in Entrepreneurship Incubator aims to challenge these disparities and build a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. They intend to do so by rendering tailored support and resources to female-led startups.

L'Oreal's Women of Worth Award to honour Middle Eastern Changemakers in Riyadh

On 10^th and 11^th June, the Women of Worth Gala and Award launch in Riyadh brought together celebrities and public figures to honour Arab women's accomplishments.

“Women make up a significant portion of society and have a lot of influence, yet often their contributions are underappreciated. Thus, the Women of Worth programme with the tagline ‘Because You're Worth It’ was created,” said Ahmed Wagih, general manager of consumer products for L'Oreal Middle East, in a speech.

UN reveals 'Gender disparity has not changed for a decade'

According to statistics from the UN published on 12^th June, gender inequality has been stable for a decade. Cultural prejudices and pressures continue to limit women's empowerment, making it unlikely that the globe will achieve gender parity by the UN's target date of 2030.

Progress on inequality has halted despite a rise in women's rights organisations and social movements like Time's Up and MeToo in the United States. These issues are due to biased societal norms, a larger human-development problem, and COVID-19, which caused many women to lose their jobs.

Pan-African & Feminist Initiative for Philanthropy begins with the goal of raising $1 billion

The Pan-African and Feminist Initiative for Philanthropies has been formally established by TrustAfrica and Urgent Action Fund-Africa in collaboration with the Coalition for the Dialogue about Africa (CoDA). The ceremony took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 6, 2023.

Dr. Ebrima Sall, executive director of TrustAfrica, Ms. Tsitsi Midzi, executive director of UAF-Africa, and Souad Aden Osman, executive director of the CoDA, all spoke at the occasion. Dre Tendai Mhizha and Briggs Bomba, Schedule Director of TrustAfrica, mediated the subsequent debates.

Female Invest releases Educational Software to Revolutionise Women's Financial knowledge

An instructional software has been released by Female Invest, a platform for financial education and community with headquarters in Denmark on 14^th June, as part of its effort to increase women's financial literacy.

A wide range of tools are available on the Female Invest app, including in-depth courses on different aspects of personal finance including budgeting, investing, and retirement planning. With daily news updates and weekly webinars given by financial experts, the app has positioned itself as a one-stop shop for women looking to increase their financial literacy.

Five Innovative Businesses chosen by BMO for WMNfintech Programme to Support Women-led Startups

The five businesses taking part in the biggest non-profit fintech industry programme for women-founded and women-led startups in North America, the 2023 WMNfintech programme, were announced on 14^th June by BMO and 1871.

The programme, which was started to close the gender gap in the startup and tech communities, allows more female entrepreneurs access to a strong ecosystem that supports companies in developing cutting-edge technologies and goods that are advantageous to the American financial industry.

Atlantic Council names Saudi Arabian, UAE & Bahraini beneficiaries for Women Innovators Fellowship 2023

The eighty-six beneficiaries of the 2023 Win Fellowships for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were revealed on 15^th June by the Rafik Hariri Centre for the Middle East of the Atlantic Council.

With the assistance of the US embassies in the three target nations, PepsiCo, and Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, the fellows will participate in a year-long programme of executive education, mentorship, and networking opportunities.