Economic Participation Needs More Pathways, Not One Prescribed Route

Formal employment, vocational training, small-business development, agriculture, technology startups, creative industries, independent professional work, social enterprise and responsible direct selling can all contribute.

In a July 2024 article, the World Bank reported that six million young people enter the labour force each year across Western and Central Africa, while only about half a million new jobs are created.

Women need pathways designed around reality Across our region, women participate extensively in commerce and informal enterprise, yet their economic potential remains constrained by unequal access to finance, networks, technology, training and, in many cases, time.