1. Inclusive, Green Business and Women’s Entrepreneurship Experiences from the EU SWITCH-Asia Programme
Silvia Sartori
Author, “Advancing Sustainable Development and Women`s Empowerment in Asia”

2. About SWITCH-Asia Objective
Promote sustainable growth, contribute to the
economic prosperity and poverty reduction in Asia and
to mitigate climate change
Partners &
beneficiaries
SMEs, NGOs, Policy-Makers, Consumer Organisations,
Business Associations
Components
95 grant projects
7 Policy Support Components
1 Network Facility
- Link between SCP – SDG12 & “green inclusive biz”
Focus
Sustainable Consumption & Production (SCP) – SDG 12 2

3. The SWITCH-Asia map

4. Free download at: www.switch-asia.eu
19 case studies
South Asia & Southeast Asia
 SDGs 5, 7 and 12
Textile &
garment industry
Agriculture &
natural resources
Energy
Consumption
Identify any trend / commonalities in terms of not only challenges but esp. approaches & opportunities
These are 20 success stories!
This compilation shows that WE is not only possible but also a win win solution: for women, households, children, community and the environment 4

5. Sustainable Development & Women’s Empowerment
1. Initiatives promoting sustainable development are
conducive to women’s empowerment
A development that is not inclusive cannot be sustainable
A development that is not environment-friendly is also not sustainable
Women’s empowerment is a pre-requisite to female entrepreneurship
2. Empowered women are a driving force of the Sustainability Agenda 5

6. Turning women into entrepreneurs: Barriers and challenges
Education Social, cultural norms Confinement
Self-confidence
Access to social entitlements
Bargaining power
Informal work
Confinement inteso come:
Confinement to household chores
Isolation (= no groups)
Often also geographical isolation
Migration Credit access Inefficient devices
Hazardous living and working environments “Energy poverty” 6

7. Turning women into entrepreneurs: Success factors
1. Mobility
2. Confidence & trust
3. Association
4. Trainings technical business leadership environmental
5. Access to finance
6. Market linkages
With the challenges and barriers we are all way too familiar by now so let us focus on the enabling factors
Facilitating convergence & access to social entitlements 7

8. From poor villagers in remote, isolated communities to entrepreneurs
Natural resource case study
NEPAL
From poor villagers in remote, isolated communities to entrepreneurs
Social status
New livelihoods
Financial independence
New trend in a formerly male-dominated business:
440 female charcoal producers
Additionally:
Cleaner energy source
Reduced fire hazard risk
Forest preservation 8

9. Textile case study Udaipur, INDIA 1,522 women:
13% illiterate, 80%migrants,
> 30% BPL.
150 SHGs
Skill & leadership development
Employment
Financial inclusion: access to credit & savings
Entrepreneurship
Social entitlements
Mobility
Self-confidence
More 9

10. Thank
you!