The African Women In Business Initiative (AWIB) responds to the AFDB's Private Sector Development Strategy emphasis on the role of women in business as well as to calls to empower women entrepreneurs, in particular SMEs, through better access to finance.
In this respect, the Private Sector and Microfinance Department (OPSM) has developed under the Initiative, integrated financing programs for women’s entrepreneurship development in order to:
- contribute to a more equitable business environment for women entrepreneurs and enhance their contribution to economic development;
- develop SME financing instruments and mechanisms to enhance the financial market and assist successful SMEs to grow their enterprises.
The African Women in Business Initiative has a Plan of Action with the following objectives: