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African Women Business Network

The Africa Businesswomen's Network (ABWN) is a partnership between local businesswomen's organizations throughout Africa, Vital Voices Global Partnership and ExxonMobil Foundation. The goal of the ABWN is to build and support a network of businesswomen’s organizations in Africa in order to expand the number of women succeeding as entrepreneurs and leaders in the corporate world; to raise the profile and credibility of women in business; to foster global networking opportunities among businesswomen; and to advocate for policies that expand economic opportunities for women.


Vision Statement of ABWN


The ABWN is a leading businesswomen’s network accelerating economic growth for women to improve the quality of life in Africa.


The Africa Businesswomen’s Network provides a forum for peer learning, information exchange, business development and access to education, resources and tools, all of which are supportive of expanding economic opportunities and building networks for businesswomen in the region. Members of the Network – Network Hubs -- are businesswomen’s organizations that are committed to contributing to economic growth and reform, to supporting the needs of women-led businesses and professional women and to having a significant social impact. Network Hubs are now being developed in the following Sub-Saharan African countries: Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa.


The MENA Businesswomen’s Network (MENA-BWN), a group of businesswomen’s organizations in 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, was formed in 2006 and is partnership between the organizations, Vital Voices and the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). The Africa BWN is being modeled after the MENA BWN and is it anticipated that there will be collaboration and exchange among and across these two regional networks.


Africa Businesswomen’s Network Hubs


Network hubs are national non-profit associations of businesswomen whose core belief is that women’s economic participation plays an essential role in the development of the national economy. Their aim is to develop and strengthen the role of businesswomen in the long-term development of a strong independent economy and to become a distinctive institution on a national level in terms of the quality and inclusiveness of their services to corporate women leaders and entrepreneurs.


Composition of the ABWN:
• There will be one national ABWN Network Hub per country
      – Other businesswomen’s organizations in these countries that are interested in         being affiliated with the ABWN can join through their local ABWN Network Hub as affiliate or institutional members.


• Each economic region (i.e.; SADC, COMESA, ECOWAS, etc.) in Africa should be represented in the ABWN by at least one Network Hub


• The ABWN is open to businesswomen’s organizations from all African countries with priority to:
      – Countries with high potential for women’s economic growth
      – Countries that will have impact on the continental economy

The following organizations are engaged in the strategic planning and launch of the ABWN:


o Nigeria: Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ)
o Kenya: Kenya Association of Women Business Owners (KAWBO)
o Uganda: Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL)
o Ghana: Women’s Empowerment Group
o Cameroon: Cameroon Businesswomen’s Network

ABWN Focus Areas


In 2009 the ABWN will focus on providing Business-to-Business opportunities; promoting policy change for women’s economic empowerment; and providing skills, information and networking opportunities to businesswomen so that they can improve business performance and contribute to job creation and economic growth. The Network Hubs will have the opportunity to apply for grants to support the personnel and resources needed to implement these objectives.


Specifically, these network objectives include the following activities:


• Business-to-Business:
o Women’s trade missions to key markets (Nigeria, South Africa)
o An online B-to-B platform for use by the Network Hubs and their members
o Network Hub member directories listing the business profiles of members, which will feed into an ABWN Directory of Women Owned Companies in Africa


o Businesswomen networking events
• Capacity Building


o Corporate Ambassadors programs


o Network Hub Capacity Building


o Businesswomen capacity building (mentoring, training, coaching, courses, etc.)
• Advocacy for improved business climate for women


o Developing an agenda common to women entrepreneurs across countries


o Join regional/continental organizations where policies are being made


o Ensuring quality representation (of Africa and especially African women) at international forums


• Promote investment in women’s businesses and improve access to capital
o Address policy challenges prohibiting women’s access to capital
o Identify women-owned venture capital firms and organizations specializing in providing investment capital to women-owned SMEs
o Host events and provide online platforms to link businesswomen with investors
o Train businesswomen to identify and present effectively to investors


• Highlight contributions of businesswomen to economic growth and employment creation
o Monitoring relevant reports on GDP and gender aggregated research
o Publish and promote press attention to women’s economic contributions

 

 
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