The road to recovery has been a challenge for many businesses over the last year – whether they are struggling to keep an already existing business going, hoping to launch a new business or managing fast-paced growth as a result of the pandemic. For resilient entrepreneurs weathering the economic shocks, the UN Women Multi Country Office – Caribbean will host a free, live-streamed Webinar Series entitled “Win-Win: Building Back Better!” on June 15, 16, 22, and 23, 2021, 10:30AM – 1:00PM each day. Organized under the “Win-Win: Gender Equality Means Good Business” programme – which was created in partnership between UN Women, the International Labour Organization and the European Union to promote gender equality through the private sector – this webinar series will bring together leading experts and business leaders to reframe the opportunities for economic recovery, explore new investment sources to reboot acceleration for SMEs through export trade and present the business case for corporations and the financial sector to provide a greater focus on women in business.

She added: “This series will serve as a reminder that while women have transformative power, they need access to more inclusive economic opportunities to fulfill their full potential and drive the recovery efforts in Jamaica. Investing in women – whether by diversifying your workforce or incorporating more women in industry value chains – is a compelling bet to build back better, build back equal and establishes a direct path to exploring SIDS and Jamaica specific innovative financing solutions.”

Despite widely accepted data that highlights that SMEs are the backbone of the economy in Jamaica and constitute over 95% of companies employing much of the population and contributing significantly to economic growth, women owned enterprises only account for 45 percentage of all local businesses. Attendees will be challenged to explore the opportunity and commitments of strategic international partners and the finance community to implement similar initiatives in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Patricia Francis, Chair of the Government of Jamaica Trade Facilitation Task Force reiterated this challenge to regional finance stakeholders.

She said: “What does Build Back Better” mean when we address the negative impact of Covid-19 on gender equality? How will we tackle the visible impact from the collapse of sectors such as tourism, an inadequate care economy, lack of adaptation to new technologies and climate, as well as price distortions from trade protectionism? While some Development Finance Institution have shown their commitment to gender investment, recovery will require a renewed call to action by all actors to drive investment toward inclusive economic growth.”

The webinar sessions will also provide practical business and market intelligence tools to increase competitiveness and strengthen market readiness for small businesses. Ultimately, the road to recovery calls for us to increase business resiliency, scale up businesses and create new pathways for export growth.

Jamaica is the only Caribbean country currently participating in the “Win-Win: Gender Equality means Good Business” Programme, to promote gender equality through the private sector by enabling women to participate in the labour market, to access decent work, entrepreneurship and autonomy, and by eliminating gender pay gaps.

In the words of webinar speaker Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre:

“We can create new opportunities through more investment, more innovation and more entrepreneurship…owning the outcome in the name of a better society.”

Let’s do this!