Dr. Patricia Laverley Joins Unified Advocacy…
As 200 Women From 35 Countries Call for Level Playing Ground
Former Deputy Minister of Finance of Sierra Leone and current AfDB Country Manager in Tanzania, Dr. Patricia Laverley, joined the unified advocacy on increased access to finance for women entrepreneurs across the continent. Dr. Laverley was part of the African women entrepreneurs’ forum calling for a level playing ground.
African women entrepreneurs from 35 countries all added their voice and called for more support from lenders and governments to help them benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area. The Meeting took place in Cameroon's capital for the U.N.-sponsored African Women Entrepreneur Forum.
The women say their businesses are mostly small, informal, and suffer discrimination. More than 200 women from 35 countries attended the meeting in Yaounde for the second African Women Entrepreneurs Forum under the theme, “Female Entrepreneurs, Challenges and Opportunities.” The African Continental Free Trade Area that started in 2021 brought great hope that a market of 1.2 billion people would boost women-run businesses and reduce poverty.
Former Interim President of the Central African Republic Catherine Samba-Panza spoke Wednesday night at the forum. She said many women are missing out on the opportunities of trade integration because their small businesses have low productivity and get little or no funding from governments and lenders.
Panza says as CAR’s former president and an African female leader she wants African governments and funding agencies to know that a majority of Africa’s 30% of women entrepreneurs need assistance.
