Opening new opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs

Dar es Salaam (ILO news) The Tanzania’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Development National Action Plan (WED NAP) (2016- 2020) as a source of decent self-employment and empowerment was launched on September 28, 2016 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Officiating at the event, the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment Hon. Charles J. Mwijage (MP) commended women entrepreneurs’ for their contribution to national level income through SME activities.

“…Women’s contribution to SMEs is more than 51% of the total workforce…the government is well prepared in supporting to unlock opportunities for men, women and youth enterprises…” he said.

He also commended the ILO for working closely with the government on WED as a way of contributing to job creation and income generation and noted that this has enabled the SMEs to contribute significantly towards achieving the national goals set in the second Five Years National Development Plan 2016/17- 2020/21.

The launch of the WED NAP came at an opportune time as the government is implementing the above Plan with an emphasis on nurturing an industrial economy aimed at transforming Tanzania’s economy into a middle income country by 2025.

“The transformation will happen through targeting of strategic priority interventions to move Tanzania to a higher growth trajectory that include a shift from agricultural based economy to an industrial based economy…. within that context, SMEs are expected to play a pivotal role in achieving this objective.” Hon. Mwijage emphasized.

On his part, ILO Employment Specialist, Mr. Jealous Chirove, speaking on behalf of the Director, ILO Country Office, Dar es Salaam, Ms. Mary Kawar, highlighted how ILO has tried to foster Women’s economic empowerment issues and help to identify the key areas for the future, after the launch of WED NAP.

“Through working closely with the government and partners, we have supported in the development of Business Development Service (BDS) providers and a cadre of qualified women entrepreneurs, WED tools and supporting women in cross border trade.” he said.
He further stressed that after NAP one of the key ILO future interventions is capacity building of Women Entrepreneurship Associations (WEAs) and business association on access to market especially on cross border trade, public – private sector policy dialogue, access to technology and promote women’s access to and ownership of assets.

The WED NAP Task force comprising of representatives from Women Entrepreneurs Association, Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC), Tanzania Women Entrepreneurship and Innovation (TAWEI), WAMA Foundation and WED trainers network acknowledged ILO’s commitment and help during the WED NAP preparation process also on the efforts which led to the amendment of the Public Procurement Act. The act reserves 30% of public procurement for “special groups” – i.e. business run by women, youth, people with disabilities or the elderly.

Background

During 2013–2016 the ILO executed the Women’s Entrepreneurship Development and Economic Empowerment (WEDEE) programme in Tanzania and Uganda which was targeted at enhancing economic opportunities for women by carrying out affirmative action in support of women starting, formalizing and growing their enterprises.

The programme was aimed at assisting women who want to start or are already engaged in a small-scale business in promoting enterprise development. Through various ILO tools, it highlighted essential entrepreneurial skills from a gender perspective, whether applied to starting or improving an individual, family or group business. Women were trained on how to develop their personal entrepreneurial traits and obtain support through groups, networks and institutions dealing with enterprise development.