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Supporting Women-led Businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa During COVID-19: Strategies to Survive and Thrive
Women-led businesses in Africa face many obstacles, from limited access to finance and networks, to social and legal constraints – and COVID-19 has only added to that burden. In response, Nathalie Gogue Ebo and Angela Kerubo at Open Capital argue that governments, financiers and other players need to apply a gender lens approach when designing COVID-19 support for these enterprises.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
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Have We Reached the Tipping Point in Racial Equity Investing?
In the past few weeks, racial equity and justice have been the central rallying cry, across the world. This has prompted many individuals and institutions to speak out against racial injustice, not least in the investing industry. On June 10, Confluence Philanthropy, a membership network of foundations and impact investors, launched a pledge for racial equity. The pledge is a commitment to “discussing racial equity at our next investment committee meeting.” As of June 13, 67 institutions have signed up, representing $533.96 billion in assets under management.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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Women-Focused Fintech Startups Can Now Apply for World’s Women Banking Challenge
World’s Women Banking (WWB), US-based gender inclusiveness investment firm in partnership with Singapore Fintech Festival, recently opened applications for fintech startups focused on women in emerging markets.
- Categories
- Finance
- Tags
- fintech, gender lens, startups
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Pro Mujer Names Marisol Fernandez Global Financial Services Director
Pro Mujer, a leading social enterprise and pioneer in women’s empowerment in Latin America, announced today the appointment of Marisol Fernandez as Global Financial Services Director. Fernandez assumes this role after having served at Pro Mujer as Global Director of Corporate Business Development, where she oversaw the acquisition of a major financial services company in Argentina and two joint ventures in health and gender smart investing.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Latin America
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Future Returns: Investing With a Gender Lens
Gender lens investing strategies have boomed in recent years, fueled by the #MeToo movement, increased awareness about how women often are treated, and a recognition that companies benefit when diversity and inclusion is fostered.
- Categories
- Investing
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Courage, Optimism, Defiance: Impact Investment Exchange Founder Durreen Shahnaz Discusses her Journey of Empowerment
Growing up in Bangladesh, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) Founder Durreen Shahnaz tended to rebel against tradition, preferring boys’ clothes to saris, and exploring the streets on her bike rather than staying indoors. Yet she never rebelled against her family's core focus on charity. Her long and distinguished career in social business and investing has been defined both by her maverick spirit and by her humanitarian values. NextBillion caught up with Shahnaz to discuss her inspiring story and IIX's ongoing work, as the company celebrates its tenth anniversary.
- Categories
- Investing
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Why Women Should Not ‘Invest Everywhere’: The Trouble with Gender-Blind Investing
As an impact investor interested in gender equity, Pique Venture CEO Bonnie Foley-Wong recently shared a call to action on LinkedIn encouraging investors to focus more money and attention on women-managed funds. She soon faced some pushback from a male impact investor, saying that women shouldn’t just invest in other women, they should invest everywhere. She explains why that advice is not as simple as it sounds.
- Categories
- Investing
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Press release: IIX awarded S$1.2M from Australian government to develop ecosystem for gender lens investing in Asia
With a decade of experience building the impact investing market and driving women’s empowerment across the world, IIX will leverage its ecosystem and gender-focused approach to support the growth of 500 impact enterprises across Asia.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Asia Pacific