Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Across Asia-Pacific

Despite a notable increase in women-owned businesses, barriers such as limited market access, financial resources, information gaps, caregiving responsibilities, and discriminatory regulations persist.

In response, UN ESCAP Catalyzing Women's Entrepreneurship (CWE) project was launched to to empower women economically and promote gender equality throughout Asia and the Pacific.

Highlighting the importance of women's economic empowerment, UN Resident Themba Kalua emphasised entrepreneurship as a pivotal pathway for poverty alleviation, empowerment, and substantial contributions to economic growth. This message was reiterated during the Women’s Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship in the Pacific event held on March 15th 2024 in Samoa.

One of the success stories highlighted during the event was that of Lisa Kamu, the renowned owner of Indoors and Head to Toes in Samoa, who has been a critical figure in the business landscape for over thirty years. 

Lisa initially faced challenges in securing funding and business counselling. However, through the CWE Lisa accessed digital marketing guidance and acquired valuable digital skills, especially photography, significantly improving her product promotion efforts.

Lisa emphasised the importance of building a solid brand identity and utilising digital marketing channels, mainly social media, to drive significant growth for her business. Digital marketing emerged as a game-changer, enabling her to reach local and international customers and demonstrating resilience and adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event facilitated meaningful dialogue among government representatives, women entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs associations, UN agencies, CROP agencies, private sector entities, and academic institutions. Together, they reaffirmed their commitment to advancing women's entrepreneurship and fostering economic empowerment across the region.