Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in the Green Economy in Algeria Algeria holds significant potential for transitioning to a green economy, thanks to its rich natural resources and the vital role women can play in socio-economic development. However, women currently represent only around 8% of the registered economic actors, highlighting a major gender gap in entrepreneurship. This project aims to create an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem that better meets the needs of women entrepreneurs, particularly in green and sustainable sectors. The overall objective is to enable women entrepreneurs to access support structures tailored to their specific challenges and potentials. The initiative is implemented over four years (01/2024 - 12/2027) with a German technical cooperation contribution of EUR 6,000,000. It is piloted in ten wilayas: Algiers, Oran, Sétif, Constantine, Blida, Boumerdès, Tizi-Ouzou, Béjaïa, Ouargla, and Annaba. The project is structured around three core components: 1. Development of tailored support offers: Women"s associations and intermediary structures will receive technical and organizational support to establish coaching and mentoring networks. New services will be co-developed with implementing partners to foster environmentally sustainable business models and enhance the personal and entrepreneurial skills of women. Support will also include psychosocial services and measures to improve work-life balance. 2. Improvement of technical conditions in two target value chains: o Production and marketing of natural cosmetics o Production and marketing of value-added products derived from residues Through capacity-building and targeted coaching, women will be supported to improve commercial processes - purchasing, production, and distribution - with a strong focus on environmental sustainability, hygiene and safety standards, and climate adaptation. 3. Capacity-building for partner institutions: Public and private institutions will be trained to implement awareness and support measures related to female entrepreneurship. Communication campaigns (via radio, television, social media) and household-level coaching will promote broader acceptance of women entrepreneurs. A special focus is placed on equipping institutions - such as the national SME Development and Innovation Promotion Agency - with digital tools to deliver gender-sensitive services through enhanced websites, webinars, and resource hubs. Project Indicators: - 275 of 400 newly supported women entrepreneurs will have improved their businesses, with at least 75% creating ecological added value in at least one of four success categories: improved planning, expanded distribution, increased turnover, or diversification of activities. - 275 of 400 beneficiaries will confirm the high relevance of the support services in addressing women-specific business needs. - 2,000 people will report more favorable attitudes toward women entrepreneurs after participating in awareness-raising activities. - Partner institutions will increase their support to women entrepreneurs by 20%, reaching 1,200 women. Digitalization will be a cross-cutting approach, especially to reach women in rural areas where access to infrastructure and digital skills remains limited.
