Transcript Regional Priorities to Enhance Women’s Entrepreneurship

The Philippine Experience in
Empowering Women SMEs:
The GREAT Women Project
The Philippine Commission on Women
Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the
Transformation (GREAT) of Women Project
A governance project that aims to promote and
support a gender-responsive enabling
environment for women’s economic
empowerment.
Strategies:
capacity development on gender mainstreaming &
partnership building
Partners:
19 National Government Agencies (NGAs)
46 Local Government Units (LGUs) in 8 provinces
Government of Canada (DFATD, formerly CIDA)
CAPACITY
DEVELOPMENT
OF PEOPLE
on:
1. Gender
Sensitivity
Trainings++
2. Gender
Analysis
3. Genderresponsive
planning
• 185 technical
officers
trained in 42
LGUs
• 129 officers in
19 NGAs
PEOPLE
formulating
gender & WEE
responsive 1.
2.
3.
4.
Plans
Policies
Programs
Projects
• GAD – WEE
materials
developed by
agencies
• WEE policies
passed
• Local ordinances
with WEE focus
• LGUs
implementing WEE
programs with
budgets
GROWTH of
Women Micro
entrepreneurs
• Increased satisfaction
of WMEs to services of
government
• Increased access to
More than
services
• Increased
HHWMEs
income
8,000
• Positivereached
changes in
personal & household:
Increased selfconfidence
Assertion of rights
Reduced economic
dependence on others
Can provide for
personal needs
Increased partnership
with spouse in
domestic concerns
Major National Policies influenced:
- National SME Development Plan (2011-2016)
- DOLE’s refocus on services to Informal Sector workers
- PhilHealth’s Partial Subsidy Scheme for women & informal
sector workers
- Use of gender lens in local eco-tourism planning
Local Policies for WEE:
Gender and
Development Codes
Increased WEE budgets, BDS,
facilities/equipment for WMEs
Revenue/ Investment
Codes
Provided incentives
for startup WMEs (i.e. tax
exemptions, discounted fees)
Creation of Service
Mechanisms
Mentors’ Pools for GAD and WEE,
GAD Offices, enterprise desks and
CSFs
Up-valuing Women’s Products
10 designer
products
24 products
1,000
products
Intensive
Design Clinic
Series
Lessons from the project:
1. Economic empowerment of women - a very
positive gender equality message.
2. LGUs could build on existing national programs
and facilitate convergence of services for
women’s small business groups.
3. Local resources (i.e., gender budgets) can be
devoted to develop women leaders and small
enterprise development initiatives.
4. LGUs, other agencies can partner with
successful entrepreneurs for product
development, “up-valuing” and business skilling.
5. Women’s products sell -- along with their stories
of hope and empowerment.