JUST TRY DISMISSING HALF OF THE PLANET

Gender equality makes economic sense for the entire world economy. If women were fully brought into the economic sphere, global GDP could grow by an extra $12 trillion by 2025, according to a McKinsey Global Institute report. Advancing gender equality is good for women, their families, the communities in which they live and ultimately for business and the economy. In 2018, the EIB pushed for gender equality and economic empowerment of women through a range of projects, initiatives and partnerships.

More than a garment: a fashion school in Ethiopia builds a women’s entrepreneurial network.

Gender and climate change: (Renewable) girl power.

A microfund empowers Jordanian women.

At the forefront of AI and health: Peptides and a woman entrepreneur.

“We must carefully design all our projects so that both women and men will benefit. It’s also about choosing the right sector, as some of them will create a more enabling environment for gender equality. ”

Julia Chambers

EIB senior social development specialist

STRATEGIC EMPOWERMENT

With its Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment, the EIB aims to move the rights of women and girls to the heart of its activities, so as to further contribute to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and specifically to Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”

“Women are agents
of change. Empowering women will help us all to deal with the pressing challenges: climate action, irregular migration and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Maria Shaw-Barragan