In marking the International Women’s Day, the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa participated in a regional conference on “Closing Gender Gaps in the MENA Financial Sector”. It was organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Union of Arab Banks, with support from Sweden. The event focused on the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the MENA region, featuring discussions on gender equality in finance, innovative solutions in Fintech, and support for women-led startups, etc. Highlights included speeches, panel discussions, roundtables, and networking opportunities, aiming to promote inclusive practices and to enhance women’s financial participation in the region.
The Institute participated actively throughout the conference, including with a speech during the opening session by the Dialogue Institute’s director, Charlotta Sparre, who also moderated a panel discussion on addressing gender disparities in finance, with panelists from the EU delegation in Egypt, OECD-OCDE, Sanad Fund, and Hivos Impact Investments MENA hub.
As the Dialogue Institute, in 2024, is developing its work with the private sector, this regional conference was an excellent opportunity for the Institute to network and connect with the private sector, representatives of international organizations and entrepreneurs working in this field aiming to expand the knowledge and networks in the region.
Read the Report from UfM Regional Conference on closing the gender gaps in the MENA financial sector
