Empowering the other half: women and private sector growth in the Pacific

Women in the Pacific, as in other less-developed regions, face challenges to realizing their economic potential and these are compounded by a series of systemic, legal and institutional barriers. Taken together, these challenges can severely limit women's participation in the formal economy and exclude them from entrepreneurial activity. The Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) is a regional technical assistance facility co-financed by the Government of Australia, the Government of New Zealand, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Since 2006, PSDI has been working with ADB's 14 Pacific Developing Member Countries to improve the enabling environment for business and support inclusive, private sector-led economic growth.

This report argues that, to lower the barriers to Pacific women's participation in the private sector, a multi-pronged approach is needed. Broader initiatives to ease the constraints to doing business in the Pacific should, wherever possible, include provisions to accommodate women's specific needs to ensure their equal access and benefit. Meanwhile, dedicated projects are needed to deal with the skills and training shortcomings that limit women's opportunities in the formal and professional sectors. This is the approach of the PSDI and its Economic Empowerment of Women activities.

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