Staff Reporter
THE United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has launched a regional initiative to strengthen women’s participation in the digital economy in Namibia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and the Republic of Congo by equipping female entrepreneurs with digital and financial skills while helping governments develop more inclusive digital policies.
The four-year initiative, titled Fostering Digital Entrepreneurship among Women in Africa, aims to tackle longstanding barriers that limit women’s access to digital skills, financial services and online markets, while also improving policy and regulatory frameworks that support digital entrepreneurship.
Implemented through UNECA’s Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Development Division (TICID), the project combines practical training for women entrepreneurs with capacity building for policymakers responsible for shaping digital economies.
More than 1 000 women entrepreneurs are expected to receive digital literacy and financial management training by 2029, while over 200 policymakers and government officials will participate in capacity-building workshops and regional policy dialogues.
Activities across the four participating countries will include eight national workshops, a regional training programme, an online learning platform and study tours aimed at strengthening practical skills, improving policy frameworks and promoting regional knowledge exchange.
A multi-stakeholder coordination taskforce was established during a virtual launch meeting on 18 May to oversee implementation, facilitate knowledge sharing and ensure the project aligns with national development priorities.
During a follow-up technical meeting, taskforce members agreed that interventions should be tailored to the specific socio-economic conditions of each participating country while integrating gender and youth considerations throughout implementation.
The taskforce also identified comprehensive national assessment studies, to be conducted over the next six months, as the project’s first priority.
UNECA said the initiative forms part of its broader efforts to promote inclusive digital transformation across Africa by supporting women entrepreneurs and strengthening the policy environments needed to enable their participation in the continent’s growing digital economy.
The commission said the project is expected to contribute to more inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development by expanding opportunities for women-led businesses and improving digital entrepreneurship ecosystems across the participating countries.
PICTURED: Participants at a youth event in Addis. Photo: UNECA
