UnitedSucces Women Entrepreneurs Event

Toespraak | 11-06-2013

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me begin with a personal experience.

Back in the nineties I was director of Mama Cash –

an international fund supporting women’s initiatives.

We gave women moral and financial support to help them achieve their dreams.

Women in the Netherlands and women all over the world.

We gave female filmmakers the chance to produce a film.

We supported the first garage run by women in the Netherlands.

And we backed a company that repaired mopeds – managed by young women in Burkina Faso.

Women in the Netherlands whose loan applications had been rejected by mainstream banks could also count on our support.

Provided they had a good business plan, of course.

These women became successful – with a little help from Mama Cash.

With pride I can repeat what I told a journalist back then:

eighty per cent of the companies we supported still existed six years later.

Women entrepreneurs are dear to my heart.

That’s why I’ve been looking forward to this meeting so much.

I’m in good company today.

You are all women, all successful entrepreneurs and you are all part of an international network.

I may be stating the obvious,

but this combination is still too unique.

There are still very few women entrepreneurs.

And there are even fewer women entrepreneurs who operate internationally.

In my job – as minister for aid and trade – I see a lot of men in blue, black and grey suits.

The trade delegations I travel with are mostly made up of men.

And the CEOs of most of the companies I speak with are male.

Of course, I have met women who are self-employed, or who are business leaders.

In low- and middle-income countries, many women have their own businesses.

But most of these are small companies serving the local market,

and certainly not operating internationally.

Despite their potential.

Unfortunately, this is still the situation today.

Even after years and years of women’s funds and initiatives

women have still not succeeded in expanding their small businesses.

Recently, I joined in the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the African Union.

Nigerian writer, activist and professor Amina Mama addressed the audience.

She asked, ‘Why do women get microcredit?’

‘There is a need for more serious support to allow women to scale up!’ she said.

And she was right.

It’s time for the next phase.

A phase in which women not only start up a business,

but are also able to scale up their business.

Not only in Africa.

Or Asia.

Or Latin America.

But in Western countries too.

Here in the Netherlands, we too have a mission in that sense.

Let’s work together to support women entrepreneurs worldwide.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, I want to promote world trade.

At the same time I want everyone to benefit from inclusive economic growth.

And gender equality is crucial here.

Equality can enhance economic efficiency and improve other development outcomes.

Let me start with economic efficiency.

There is a clear link between gender equality and productivity.

Women now represent more than 40 per cent of the global workforce,

43 per cent of the agricultural workforce,

and more than half of the world’s university students.

Yet women still aren’t engaged in activities that make the best use of their skills and talent.

These abilities are vital for an economy to perform at full potential.

Let me give you an example.

Women grow much of the world’s food.

But they could do much more

if they had access to the necessary resources –

like land, seeds, technology and financial services.

And a fair share of benefits, such as training, knowledge and information.

If women had the same access to those resources as men,

they would produce 20 to 30 per cent more food.

In countries where the gender gap is the smallest,

there is higher productivity and more economic competition.

But countries do not automatically achieve these gains as they get richer.

Growth does not automatically lead to equal opportunities.

Gender inequality has become more costly for most countries in a world of open trade.

Even so, it is not all about economic efficiency.

Female workers and entrepreneurs are also vital for social development.

Women have to be able to participate fully in society.

Women entrepreneurs are a sign – a token – that women have equal opportunities.

It’s role models – like you – who can motivate women to come to the fore.

Empowerment of women tends to have a strong multiplier effect on the wider community.

Because women generally put 90 per cent of what they earn back into their families and their communities.

While the equivalent figure for men is considerably lower.

Let’s look at the female farmers again.

If they had the same access to resources as men, they would not only produce more food,

their families would enjoy better health, nutrition and education.

So equality provides equity for future generations too.

You demonstrate that economic benefits and social significance can and should go hand in hand.

That we can help women enter the world market.

Take Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, president of German-based multinational TRUMPF.

I met her during a trade mission to Germany last week.

To me she is an excellent role model − a woman at the top of a successful international company.

A company that keeps jobs secure even in harsh economic times.

Or take Willa Shalit – one of your members – from New York.

She negotiated the trade links between well-known department store Macy’s and Rwandan women and artisans in Haiti.

In this way you help women scale up.

I myself have spent a significant part of my life fighting for equality.

And I continue to do so as a minister.

That starts with improved market access – to allow entrepreneurship to flourish.

By signing trade agreements through the WTO and the EU, I help open up trade worldwide.

I am, for example, very keen on reaching a WTO deal on trade facilitation that is favourable for developing countries.

What’s more, we’re working on the biggest possible bilateral trade deal, to create a free trade zone between the US and the EU.

We also provide support to Dutch entrepreneurs with export and investment ambitions in low- and middle-income countries.

And I promote entrepreneurship in these countries.

Not only by helping these entrepreneurs directly, but also by supporting countries to help them integrate into the trading system.

And by assisting them in improving their business climate.

These are important elements of my new trade and development policy.

I want to engage more women in these efforts.

For example in our Private Sector Investment Programme,

which helps SMEs introduce new technology through business ventures.

Like the project in the city of Sialkot in Pakistan.

Establishing a business using new printing techniques for sportswear created over a hundred jobs for women in the garment industry.

An excellent result.

So far the majority of applicants for such programmes have been men.

I would really like to see more female entrepreneurs taking part.

And since our PSI programme requires entrepreneurs to be in a joint venture,

there’s no better time to start than right now at the UnitedSucces symposium.

I also aim to encourage Dutch women entrepreneurs to look beyond our borders.

During our trade mission to Turkey, the organisation Talent to the Top joined the delegation.

This group of leading businesswomen was a great success.

So I think the effort is worth repeating.

Because my ambition is to combine aid, trade and investment for inclusive growth.

Let’s make that a joint effort.

Together we can boost women’s entrepreneurship.

Let’s enable women entrepreneurs to scale up successfully.

Benefitting our society, the economy and women worldwide.

Thank you.