Project profile — Women’s Economic Empowerment for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in Egypt

This project aims to support women’s economic empowerment in Egypt, where women's unemployment is more than three times that of men. Women in Egypt face significant barriers to securing decent work, as well as limited access to financial and non-financial services, discriminatory social norms, and lack of access to social protection or support services. The project works to help create jobs by improving the business-enabling environment, and promoting a culture of entrepreneurship for Egyptian women in high growth sectors such as agribusiness and energy. This project is implemented by UN Women in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Project activities include: (1) providing technical training and advisory services to women-led businesses; (2) supporting the establishment of innovative and green businesses; (3) supporting businesses to mainstream gender in supply chains, review policies and implement new ones that empower women; and (4) supporting women-owned enterprises to access alternative financing. The project expects to reach up to 6,300 direct beneficiaries and approximately 30,000 indirect beneficiaries.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased productivity and job opportunities generated by women entrepreneurs; (2) increased employment of women by businesses; and (3) reduced gender-specific barriers to women’s entrepreneurship and women entering into and remaining in the workforce.

Results achieved as of January 2025 include: (1) created 293 job opportunities, with 289 green jobs, by both new and existing businesses; (2) provided women entrepreneurs access to 5 market access and financial linkages opportunities. This includes participation in Turathna, an exhibition held in December 2024, where 80 women entrepreneurs to display their products and generated $18,000 in total sales by selling 1,098 products. Also, organized 4 other exhibitions in Alamein, Beni Suef, Fayoum and Minya; (3) trained 103 women entrepreneurs on turning their ideas into businesses or enhance existing businesses after attending online trainings on entrepreneurship-related topics, followed by one-on-one coaching sessions that included mock pitch presentations; (4) conducted 2 training programs for 16 staff from 5 governmental institutions on coaching and supporting services for women entrepreneurs to enhance the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Egypt. These institutions include the Ministry of Industry, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Local Development, and the National Council for Women; (5) 9 senior government officials participated in a study tour to Tunisia to exchange experiences and best practices to support women-led micro-businesses; and (6) 571 women beneficiaries secured decent job opportunities following their participation in project led technical, leadership, and soft skills workshops.