Project profile — Empowering women through sustainable entrepreneurship in Morocco

• Morocco (100.00%)

• Government And Civil Society, General: Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions (15170) (60.00%)
• Business support services and institutions:
Business support services and institutions (25010) (20.00%)
Business Development Services (25030) (20.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)

This project aims to economically empower rural women in Morocco’s Marrakesh-Safi region. It seeks to increase women’s decision-making power over their businesses, to improve business development support services’ responsiveness to gender equality issues. The project also seeks to engage communities in supporting women’s rights and breaking down gender stereotypes (in public and private spheres) related to women’s entrepreneurship. It aims to ensure that women have genuine, full control over the assets, technologies, finances and benefits of their economic activities and to significantly reduce or even eliminate gender stereotypes in rural communities in the Marrakech-Safi region. The project has been extended to ensure the restart and full implementation of activities and the achievement of planned results in communities affected by the earthquake of September 8, 2023 (magnitude 6.8), as well as to increase the economic resilience of affected women and communities in the post-earthquake context. Project activities include the following: (1) implementing perennial and inclusive groups of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) for marginalized women, and providing these women with training to foster their personal development and promote more efficient management of their finances; (2) guiding women-led cooperatives in developing ties with financial institutions and credit sources so they can implement their business plans; (3) training business support institutions and civil society organizations in order to support women-led businesses and use dialogue instruments to reduce the gender-related barriers facing women’s entrepreneurship; and (4) training targeted households so that tasks are divided fairly and there is greater acceptance of women’s involvement in economic matters.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased women’s decision-making power over their businesses; (2) increased the responsiveness of business development support services to gender equality issues; and (3) engaged communities in supporting women’s rights and breaking down gender stereotypes (in public and private spheres) related to women’s entrepreneurship.

Results achieved as of March 2023 include: (1) created 72 village savings and credit associations (AVEC); (2) launched training of trainers for 60 village facilitators on AVEC methodology as part of the exit strategy; (3) created 122 microenterprises; (4) organized mini-markets alongside training courses for microenterprises; (5) supported five microbusinesses in implementing their business model through the National Program for the Support and Financing of Microbusinesses in Morocco (FORSA); (6) strengthened 15 cooperatives from the third cohort and organized literacy sessions for AVEC members and cooperatives; (7) organized three pitch events for cooperatives, attended by 15 women from microbusinesses; (8) supported cooperatives at fairs that were revitalized after COVID-19; (9) completed a training of trainers cycle in gender and equitable household management (GGEM) with eight civil society organizations (CSOs) already identified and four newly selected; (10) launched the preparation of a toolbox for selected CSO trainers; (11) carried out a diagnosis of knowledge and mobilization, and a preparatory workshop with the trade support institutions (TSIs) that will be taking part in the gender and public policy training cycle; and (12) organized two round tables with women leaders and regional and national TSIs.

• Proactive disclosure