2022-05-17T22:53:46-04:00

TEDx SantaBarbara

The imperative to foster global gender economic equity. “Women’s economic empowerment is not just a moral imperative, it is an economic no-brainer.” Women make significant contributions to economic growth, wealth creation, innovation, employment, and human capital. [...]

2022-03-02T11:40:16-05:00

Friends of Europe Strategic Conversation with Margo Thomas and Nahla Valji – A gender-focused post-pandemic recovery

Expected by some to be the ‘great leveller’, the COVID-19 crisis has ultimately laid bare the world’s persistent inequalities. Particularly obvious have been the ways in which different genders have experienced the pandemic. Instances [...]

2022-03-02T11:43:28-05:00

Global Solutions Summit: The Social and Economic Implications of the Covid 19 Pandemic and Beyond

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocmjzfk57vg In this final decade for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and in light of the yet unfolding economic and social impacts of the pandemic, it essential to take a multi-disciplinary and inclusive approach [...]

2022-03-02T11:39:27-05:00

Women’s Economic Empowerment: Opportunities and Challenges for Equity, Inclusive Growth, and Sustainability

The conference in Edinburgh, Scotland brought together thought leaders from every continent representing civil society, the private sector, public sector, and academia. As a group, they shared knowledge and engaged participants in active dialog and [...]

2022-03-02T11:35:58-05:00

Speaking at the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) 2019 Conference

SPACE – exploring new frontiers and entrepreneurial places Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK "The ISBE conference is a catalyst for igniting a new type of innovative and dynamic entrepreneurial leadership necessary for unlocking entrepreneurial ambitions across businesses, support [...]

2022-02-16T13:43:03-05:00

2019 Think-20 Task Force on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Women’s Economic Empowerment (SDG5)

Under the 2019 Japanese Presidency of the G20, the Think 20 (T20) Engagement Group carried forward the work on women’s economic empowerment (WEE) through the Task Force on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Once again, I had the privilege of serving as Co-Chair on women’s economic empowerment (SDG5) along with Gala Díaz Langou, Social Protection Program Director with the Center for the 
Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC). We worked closely with the Women 20 (W20) Engagement Group under the leadership of Professor Yoriko Meguro and Haruno Yoshida.

2018-12-21T22:03:39-05:00

2018 Think-20 Task Force on Gender Economic Equity: From Inception to Summit

As the 2018 Argentine Presidency of the G20 draws to a close, this post looks back at some of the highlights from the work of the 2018 Think-20 Engagement Group’s Task Force on Gender Economic Equity (GEE). There has been significant convergence on key focus areas and recommendations for action on gender economic equity across the G7-G20 and the relevant engagement groups including the T20 and W20.

2018-12-05T09:41:48-05:00

CONVERSATION WITH MARGO THOMAS – St. Aidan’s College, Durham University (Durham, United Kingdom – November 2018)

My presentation on ‘Women’s Economic Empowerment and The Costs of Inequity’ was hosted and co-sponsored by Dr. Susan Frenk, Principal of St Aidan’s College at Durham University in partnership with Societal Innovation and Enterprise Forum, (SIEF) Durham [...]

2018-12-05T09:11:13-05:00

COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING – WOMEN’S FORUM (London, United Kingdom – April 16-18, 2018)

The 2018 Women's Forum reflected on some of the global challenges still faced by women, as part of a wider commitment to "leave no one behind" in the Commonwealth journey to achieving gender equality by [...]

2022-03-02T11:36:17-05:00

Venture Fest

Innovation SuperNetwork, North-East England Newcastle, UK Dr. Margo Thomas was a featured speaker at the 2018 NE-UK VentureFest. Her talk was titled: Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Women’s Economic Empowerment and the Costs of Inequity

2018-01-31T21:35:10-05:00

Taking Forward the Women’s Economic Empowerment Agenda: Wilton Park, 2017

On 29 November 2017, the Women’s Economic Imperative (WEI) launched its collaboration with Wilton Park and AllAfrica as part of the Women’s Entrepreneurship activities in the United Kingdom with an action-oriented Forum on Taking Forward the Women’s Economic Empowerment Agenda. The Forum was held (29 November – 1 December, 2017) at Wiston House in West Sussex, England.

2022-02-16T13:51:50-05:00

Provocation Piece: Enterprise

Throughout her career spanning more than two decades as a senior official at the world’s premier development organization – the World Bank Group, Margo Thomas, PhD has provided policy advice to over 50 national and sub-national governments. With a Doctoral Degree in Public Policy and Private Sector Development, her areas of focus include trade and competitiveness, women’s economic empowerment, business environment reform, regulatory reform, and investment policy. In April 2017, Dr. Thomas successfully completed her appointment as the Chief of Secretariat for the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment. In her ongoing role as Founder and CEO of Women’s Economic Imperative, Dr. Thomas serves as a catalyst for initiatives aimed at increasing opportunities for the economic empowerment of disadvantaged and under-represented groups globally.

2022-03-03T10:18:55-05:00

Rencontre avec Moise Ntigirinzigo, fondateur de l’ONG IPSDI au Burundi

WEI (Women’s Economic Imperative) est fier de s’associer à W4 (Women’s WorldWide Web) pour soutenir les jeunes femmes du Burundi, les aidant à s’assurer des emplois sûrs et décents dans le secteur formel et à développer éventuellement leurs propres entreprises agro-alimentaires favorisant la sécurité alimentaire au sein de leurs communautés.

2022-03-03T10:19:42-05:00

Fostering Women-led businesses in non-traditional sectors in Peru

An innovative project launched by the British Embassy in Lima seeks to encourage more women to establish and grow businesses in non-traditional sectors, including the extractive industries (oil and mining), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) sectors, environment, agroindustry, construction and financial services.

2022-03-03T10:19:25-05:00

WEI interviews Nino Zambakhidze, Chairwoman of the Georgian Farmers’ Association

The WEI editorial team had the pleasure of interviewing Nino Zambakhidze, Chairwoman of the Georgian Farmers’ Association & WEI Champion about her work to promote women’s entrepreneurship & economic empowerment in Georgia.

2022-03-03T10:19:33-05:00

62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women: a call to the international community to empower rural women & girls

Recent movements such as #MeToo and #NiUnaMenos have sparked outrage and given rise to global conversations, shifting traditional views about gender and equality. We need to continue moving the agenda forward, to create synergies between diverse actors and tackle the deeply-rooted factors that currently impede women’s empowerment.

2022-03-02T11:50:41-05:00

WEI Champion Spotlight: WEI Board Member – William Reese

I’ve spent the last 49 years working in international cooperation. I worked 10 years in the PeaceCorps: 8 of them in Brazil and 2 of them back in Washington DC. I started out as an urban development PeaceCorps volunteer and then worked 7 years with their staff running different parts of the Brazil Program. Eventually I came back to Washington after serving as the Country Director for Brazil and did a couple years at the PeaceCorps Headquarters. Initially I had wanted to be a Foreign Service officer, but decided I was more interested in development rather than diplomacy.

2022-03-02T11:50:23-05:00

Young Global Changemaker: Stephanie Trpkov

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was among the many notable speakers at the 2019 Global Solutions Summit in Berlin. Following her thought-provoking speech emphasizing the need for multilateralism and international cooperation in the years to come, was a Q&A period with questions from both a moderator and individuals from the audience.

2022-03-02T11:49:56-05:00

WEI Champion Spotlight: Ashaba Faridah

Before I pursued a diploma in flight operations and management, I didn’t even know we had pilot training in Uganda. Choosing a career as a pilot is not very common, so despite having dreamed of flying in planes as a child, I didn’t think it was one that would come true. However, while I was still in school I attended an orientation where I was able to go and see people actually flying. This one plane came and landed, and out walked a woman! Seeing her felt so empowering that it reignited my love for flying, and afterwards I knew I had to do everything I could to be a pilot.

2022-03-02T11:49:38-05:00

WEI Champion Spotlight: Stephanie Trpkov

I am a business strategist who has worked in management consulting in the SEE region for over a dozen years. I am currently a strategy consultant with the World Bank in the Energy and Extractives Global Practice, and also serving as an adviser to the European Commission on digitization and adaptation of future strategies in targeted sectors of the economy. I mentor companies in the technology park and CleanTech accelerator in Croatia, developing strong business models, securing funding, and generally providing access to the kind of expert advice they can’t really afford in the early stages.

2022-03-03T10:14:08-05:00

The Long Game

Over an illustrious 30-year career, consultant, author and acclaimed speaker Dinah Bennett has worked with people and organisations all over the world to gain insights into enterprise and entrepreneurship.

2022-03-03T10:15:15-05:00

Engaging Religious & Traditional Leaders Is Crucial If We Are To Achieve SDG5 By 2030

As the world celebrates this year’s International Women’s Day -- whose theme is “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change” -- all stakeholders must resolve to work to find innovative ways to engage more men and young boys in the push to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.