In Nepal, female graduates of the SDC Apprenticeship Program are 2.5 times more likely to secure employment compared to their non-apprentice peers. In this episode, we’re joined by Pankaj Parajuli, an expert from SDC Nepal, to explore Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)—a cornerstone of Swiss development cooperation and a pivotal tool for women’s economic empowerment. Tune in to learn how Nepal is transforming its TVET system to bridge the worlds of education and work, creating opportunities that break barriers, change lives, and promote gender equality. Did you know that the first female electrician at Nepal’s Electricity Authority is a proud graduate of an SDC-supported

Learn more by watching this video or exploring the findings from a groundbreaking Randomized Control Trial (RCT) study conducted by ETH Zurich in collaboration with

Are we on track to achieve gender equality by 2030? Alison Holder, Executive Director of Equal Measures 2030, is sounding the alarm: progress is stagnating, and in some areas, we’re even losing ground. In this episode, we explore the findings from the 2024 edition of the SDG Gender Index, revealing the latest data on where the world stands in key areas like workplace equality, education, care work distribution, financial decision-making, gender-based violence, and reproductive health—all critical to women's economic empowerment. Discover how data, when harnessed through targeted advocacy and action, can drive real progress towards gender equality.

With 1 in 4 people who menstruate struggling to manage their menstruation safely, it's clear the global community has overlooked a vital development and investment opportunity. In this episode, we explore the challenges and opportunities in the menstrual health and hygiene market from two perspectives: Adrian Dongus, Menstrual Health Markets Specialist at the UN Sanitation and Hygiene Fund, discusses how to address structural barriers, while Mary Nyaruai, founder of Nyungu Afrika, shares how her circular economy startup transforms agricultural waste into eco-friendly sanitary pads. Both aim to transform markets across low and middle-income countries so that every person who menstruates can access the quality menstrual health products they want and need. Ultimately, menstrual health and hygiene is key to women’s economic empowerment.

In the face of worsening gender disparities, investing in girls and women emerges as a vital strategy. Join us as we delve into the transformative power of gender lens investing with Jessica Espinoza, CEO of 2X Global. From entrepreneurship to supply chain practices, Jessica Espinoza sheds light on the potential of gender lens investing to drive both financial returns and social impact. Envision a future where increasing amounts of capital within the expansive financial system are redirected towards advancing gender equality. This shift has already begun. This episode explores how we can accelerate it together.

Economic deprivation and economic exclusion of women is connected to gender-based violence (GBV). In this episode, Rana Al-Motairi and Reine Musharbash from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) explain how they use women's economic empowerment as an entry point to engage men and boys in the prevention and reduction of GBV in refugee camps and the wider society in Jordan. Paired with economic interventions, gender discussion groups encourage a shift towards more equitable power relations within the households. Moreover, in the so-called engaging men in accountable practice interventions, men are challenged to rethink their belief systems, guided by the voices of women in their community.

Refugees, especially women, are often excluded from financial services because they are regarded as too high-risk and "unbankable". In this episode, Bdour Al-Hyari from the Jordanian Microfund for Women (MFW) tells us how they successfully developed holistic financial products according to the needs of Syrian women refugees. To more effectively make use of MFW’s loans, the beneficiaries can pair them with diverse capacity-building and training offers. The programme allowed to build trust in refugees within financial institutions and strengthened the business case for their financial inclusion. MFW empowers Syrian and Jordanian women to become entrepreneurs and improve their livelihoods.

Lorsque son mari est tombé malade, cette mère de famille a contracté un microcrédit et est devenue entrepreneuse en savon artisanal, employant dix personnes. Elle peut maintenant envoyer ses enfants à l'université. Elle fait partie d'un programme de développement économique local soutenu par DDC à Koutiala, au Mali. Dans cet épisode, vous entendrez Hamet Cissé, ancien Chargé de Programme Développement Rural et Point Focal Genre au Mali. Les principaux piliers du programme sont les produits de microfinance pour accroître l'inclusion financière des femmes et le soutien à la formalisation des entreprises dirigées par des femmes. De plus, dans le cadre de la stratégie de genre, des comités de pilotage au niveau communal comprenant les conseillers municipaux et conseillères municipales ainsi que les femmes, les jeunes et les personnes en situation de handicap sont créés afin d'intégrer leurs besoins dans la planification du développement. 

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Connecting economic and political empowerment in Mali - The success story of a woman entrepreneur

When her husband fell ill, this mother took out a microcredit and became an artisanal soap entrepreneur with ten employees and can now send her children to university. She is part of a local economic development program supported by DDC in Koutiala, Mali. In this episode, you will hear from Hamet Cissé, who used to be a Rural Development Program Officer and Gender Focal Point in Mali. Important pillars of the program are microfinance products to increase women's financial inclusion and support for the formalization of women-led businesses. Moreover, as part of the gender strategy, steering committees at commune level that include municipal counselors as well as women, youth, and people with disabilities are created to ensure their needs are incorporated in development planning. 

Returning survivors of human trafficking in Bangladesh are faced with stigmatisation and discrimination by their families and communities. In this episode, Dipta Rakshit from Winrock International talks about the hardships of returned trafficking survivors and how the project Ashshash supports them in rebuilding their lives. As part of the project’s holistic approach, trafficking survivors access skills and entrepreneurship training to enter the job market or start their own company – taking their destiny back into their own hands.

In this episode, Nathalie Paarlberg talks about Turquoise Mountain and the work they do with women weavers in Myanmar. Myanmar has a long artisanal tradition of weaving, and Turquoise Mountain ensures that the weavings are spread throughout the world. The organization not only helps female weavers earn an income, but also encourages them to pass on an ancient tradition with special fabrics like silk to the next generation, preserving one of Myanmar's cultural assets.

In this episode Yasmin Kayali shares the story of Shatila Studio, a social enterprise based in a refugee camp in Lebanon. The Shatila Studio not only allows women to develop an artisanal skill and generate income, it also provides a safe space for its community of women who have overcome incredibly difficult obstacles.