Conferences

Recent Events

Female Entrepreneurship: Constraints and Opportunities
June 2-3, 2009
World Bank, Washington D.C.
Contact: Mary Hallward-Driemeier (Mhallward@worldbank.org) or ebardasi@worldbank.org

This two-day conference explored women’s entrepreneurship and its contribution to economic growth and employment creation. Topics investigated gender gaps in entrepreneurial performance in terms of size, growth, profits, etc., and the types of barriers, institutional or otherwise, that can help account for them. Among the papers presented, five are being considered for a special issue of a journal.

This day-long event brought together lawyers, academics and members of NGOs to discuss the legal barriers facing women entrepreneurs in Africa. Discussions focused on developing a framework for understanding the interplay between statutory and customary law, as well as specific examples of recent court decisions that impact on women’s equality of property rights in the region.

Law, Gender and Business in Africa 
November 12-13, 2009
Dakar, Senegal
Contact: Mary Hallward-Driemeier (Mhallward@worldbank.org)

The workshop brought together 30 lawyers, entrepreneurs, women’s business associations, academics, NGOs and policy makers together from 5 West African or Francophone countries (Senegal, Mali, Cameroon, Nigeria, DRC) to discuss the legal investment climate for women entrepreneurs in Africa. Preliminary results of the database of laws governing women’s property and inheritance rights were discussed, as well as their links to entrepreneurship and enterprise development. Topics included efforts to change civil law codes assigning men the role of head of household, the interplay of statutory and religious law, as well as broader discussion on reform initiatives in the participating countries. The conference concluded with a session on how advocacy for women entrepreneurs in the region.

Law, Gender and Business in Africa 
November 16-17, 2009
Nairobi, Kenya
Contact: Mary Hallward-Driemeier (Mhallward@worldbank.org)

The workshop brought together 30 lawyers, entrepreneurs, women’s business associations, academics, NGOs and policy makers together from 6 Common Law African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi and Rwanda) to discuss the legal investment climate for women entrepreneurs in Africa. Preliminary results of the database of laws governing women’s property and inheritance rights were discussed, as well as their links to entrepreneurship and enterprise development. Topics included the interplay of statutory law with constitutionally recognized customary law and religious law, as well as broader discussion on reform initiatives in the participating countries. The conference concluded with a session on how advocacy for women entrepreneurs in the region.