Introduction
Women play a critical yet underrecognized role in driving sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and community resilience. Across developing and emerging economies, women are deeply involved in agriculture, natural resource management, energy use, waste management, and household-level climate adaptation. Despite their contributions, women continue to face systemic barriers to economic participation, including limited access to education, skills training, finance, markets, land ownership, and decision-making power.
The global transition toward a green economy—one that promotes low-carbon growth, resource efficiency, and environmental sustainability—offers a unique opportunity to address gender inequalities while generating inclusive economic growth. Green sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, circular economy enterprises, eco-friendly manufacturing, and climate-smart services present significant potential for women’s employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
This proposal, Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Green Economy, aims to strengthen women’s livelihoods, income security, and leadership by enabling their active participation in green value chains and environmentally sustainable enterprises. Through targeted capacity building, access to finance, market linkages, and policy engagement, the project will empower women to become key agents of change in the green economy.
Problem Statement
Women across many regions face disproportionate economic and environmental vulnerabilities. Gender norms, unpaid care responsibilities, limited asset ownership, and restricted mobility reduce women’s access to formal employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Climate change further exacerbates these challenges, as women are often responsible for securing food, water, and energy for households while having limited control over resources and decision-making.
Key challenges limiting women’s participation in the green economy include:
- Limited access to green skills, technical training, and digital literacy
- Inadequate access to finance, credit, and productive assets
- Weak integration into green value chains and markets
- Lack of mentorship, networks, and business development support
- Gender-blind policies and institutional barriers
Without intentional gender-responsive interventions, women risk being excluded from emerging green economic opportunities. There is a strong need for inclusive programs that remove structural barriers, enhance women’s capacities, and create enabling ecosystems for women-led green enterprises and employment.
Project Goal and Objectives
Overall Goal
To enhance women’s economic empowerment and leadership by increasing their participation in green enterprises, decent green jobs, and sustainable value chains.
Specific Objectives
- To strengthen women’s technical, entrepreneurial, and digital skills in green economic sectors.
- To support women-led green enterprises through incubation, mentorship, and access to finance.
- To improve women’s access to markets, value chains, and green investment opportunities.
- To promote gender-responsive green innovation and climate-resilient livelihoods.
- To influence local policies and institutional practices that support women in the green economy.
Target Beneficiaries
- Primary Beneficiaries
- Women aged 18–55, with a focus on:
- Low-income and unemployed women
- Women entrepreneurs and informal workers
- Rural, peri-urban, and climate-vulnerable communities
- Women-led micro and small enterprises
- Secondary Beneficiaries
- Households benefiting from increased women’s income
- Local communities accessing green products and services
- Private sector actors and cooperatives within green value chains
- Local governments and development institutions
Key Green Economy Sectors
The project will focus on high-potential green sectors that align with women’s skills and local market demand, including:
- Renewable energy (solar products, clean cooking solutions)
- Sustainable agriculture, agro-processing, and agroforestry
- Waste management, recycling, and upcycling enterprises
- Circular economy and eco-friendly product manufacturing
- Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services
- Climate-smart services and nature-based solutions
Project Components and Activities
- Community Outreach and Women’s Mobilization
- Community sensitization on women’s economic rights and green opportunities
- Identification and selection of women participants through inclusive criteria
- Engagement with women’s self-help groups, cooperatives, and local organizations
- Skills Development and Capacity Building
- Technical training in selected green sectors
- Entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and business management training
- Digital skills development, including e-commerce and mobile banking
- Leadership and confidence-building workshops
- Enterprise Development and Incubation
- Support for women-led green business idea development
- Business planning, product development, and quality improvement
- Legal registration and compliance support
- Access to shared production facilities and tools
- Access to Finance and Assets
- Market Access and Value Chain Integration
- Market assessments and buyer linkage support
- Branding, packaging, and certification assistance
- Participation in trade fairs, exhibitions, and green marketplaces
- Strengthening women-led cooperatives and producer groups
- Policy Engagement and Institutional Strengthening
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Approach
Gender equality is central to the project design. Key strategies include:
- Prioritizing women’s leadership and decision-making roles
- Addressing unpaid care constraints through flexible training schedules
- Ensuring safe, inclusive, and accessible learning environments
- Engaging men and community leaders to support women’s participation
The project will adopt intersectional approaches to reach marginalized women, including those with disabilities and women from minority groups.
Environmental and Climate Impact
The project contributes to environmental sustainability by:
- Promoting low-carbon technologies and renewable energy adoption
- Encouraging sustainable resource use and waste reduction
- Supporting climate-resilient livelihoods and nature-based solutions
- Enhancing community-level climate adaptation capacity
Each supported enterprise will track measurable environmental outcomes such as emissions reductions, waste diverted, or natural resources conserved.
Expected Results and Outcomes
Outputs
- Women trained in green skills and entrepreneurship
- Women-led green enterprises established or strengthened
- Financial support provided to women entrepreneurs
- Market and value chain partnerships established
Outcomes
- Increased women’s income, employment, and financial independence
- Improved resilience of women-led livelihoods to climate risks
- Greater participation of women in green economic decision-making
- Strengthened local green economies
Long-Term Impact
- Reduced gender gaps in economic participation
- Sustainable, inclusive green growth
- Enhanced environmental protection and climate resilience
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)
A gender-responsive MEL framework will be implemented, including:
- Baseline, midline, and endline assessments
- Sex-disaggregated data collection
- Monitoring of income, employment, and enterprise growth
- Environmental performance indicators
- Participatory learning and adaptation processes
Sustainability and Exit Strategy
Project sustainability will be ensured through:
- Strengthening women-led enterprises and cooperatives
- Establishing long-term partnerships with financial institutions
- Embedding green skills within local training systems
- Supporting policy reforms and institutional ownership
By the project’s end, women entrepreneurs will be positioned to operate independently and scale their businesses.
Partnerships and Stakeholders
Key partners include:
- Women’s organizations and cooperatives
- Government agencies and local authorities
- Financial institutions and impact investors
- Private sector and green technology providers
- NGOs and development partners
Collaborative partnerships will maximize impact, scalability, and sustainability.
Budget Overview (Indicative)
The project budget will support:
- Training and capacity-building activities
- Enterprise development and incubation
- Financial support mechanisms
- Monitoring, evaluation, and project management
A detailed budget will be developed in line with donor requirements.
Conclusion
Women’s economic empowerment is essential for achieving an inclusive and sustainable green economy. By investing in women’s skills, enterprises, and leadership, this project will unlock economic opportunities, strengthen climate resilience, and promote gender equality. Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Green Economy offers a scalable, high-impact model that aligns with global commitments on gender equality, climate action, and sustainable development.
