Empowering Women for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development

Strategic Insights -

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and its Director-General, Kandeh K. Yumkella, have emphasized the crucial role women play in promoting economic growth and sustainable development in developing countries. According to Yumkella, women's access to knowledge, credit, markets, and energy can significantly contribute to economic growth and development. This year's International Women's Day theme, "Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women," highlights the importance of empowering women through education and training.

Key Takeaways:

  • Women in developing countries can contribute to economic growth and development if they have access to knowledge, credit, markets, and energy.
  • UNIDO's Entrepreneurship Curriculum Programme offers entrepreneurship courses to young boys and girls in secondary and vocational schools in developing countries, including Angola, Cameroon, Mozambique, Namibia, Timor-Leste, and Uganda.
  • The GET-IT program, a joint initiative between UNIDO and HP, teaches young women and men the basics of entrepreneurship and computer technology to address high youth unemployment rates in Africa.
  • Over 1000 women have benefited from UNIDO's ongoing project in Mali, which has helped them produce and market shea butter.
  • A joint venture company has been established between women's groups and a French cosmetics company, with an order to produce 40 tons of soap-based products this year alone.
  • UNIDO has helped develop a zero-emission renewable energy Community Power Centre in Kenya, which uses micro hydropower to generate electricity and promote the use of LED lamps.
  • The centre has offset approximately 5,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year and reduced the costs associated with importing 1.5 million liters of diesel every year.
  • The project has also empowered small-scale women entrepreneurs engaged in micro industries such as soap processing, fruit juice making, and maize meal production.

Statistics:

  • 3 billion people worldwide rely on traditional solid fuels for cooking and heating.
  • 1.5 billion people have no access to electricity.
  • 1.9 million premature deaths occur annually due to exposure to smoke from traditional cookstoves and open fires.
  • Women and young children are the most affected by exposure to smoke from traditional cookstoves and open fires.
  • 10 Community Power Centres in Kenya can offset approximately 50,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
  • The Community Power Centre has reduced the costs associated with importing 15 million liters of diesel per year.

Sources:

  • United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
  • Director-General, Kandeh K. Yumkella
  • United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC)
  • Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
  • U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
  • UNIDO's Entrepreneurship Curriculum Programme
  • GET-IT program (UNIDO and HP joint initiative)
  • UNIDO's project in Mali
  • Community Power Centre in Kenya
  • International Women's Day statement by Director-General Kandeh K. Yumkella (available at http://www.unido.org/fileadmin/user_media/DG/IWD%202011_DG%20Statement.pdf)