2009 News

Leveling the Playing Field for Women in Africa and the Middle East

February 2009

This January Vital Voices held a workshop in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, to facilitate the exchange of knowledge between its recently created Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Businesswomen's Network and a new pan-African businesswomen's network. The event brought together members of businesswomen's associations from across the region to assess progress and strategize on future activities. The networks have been created to increase the number of women in business and the value of their businesses, to advance the role of women in society, and to promote a regional culture of women's entrepreneurship.

During a session on "Women as Engines of Economic Growth," the World Bank shared progress with the World Bank Group Gender Action Plan. The subsequent discussion on legal and regulatory challenges facing women in Africa and MENA included panelists that had benefited from the Gender Action Plan.

Kah Walla, who was profiled in the "Women Doing Business in Africa" publication, talked about the encouraging progress in increasing education about tax administration among market women in Cameroon through a new program funded by Vital Voices. Dr. Maggie Kigozi, who was part of the Gender Coalition that worked to implement recommendations from the Uganda Gender and Economic Growth Assessment, discussed progress with various legislative reforms to the benefit of women in Uganda. The panel also included an engaging story from Alfnan Al Zayani of Bahrain, who spoke of the role of businesswomen's organizations in lobbying for a new family law in her country. The lessons from their efforts illustrate the setbacks as well as the possible benefits from advocacy to ensure a level playing field for women.