Mozambique: Remove barriers to credit, land, technology for women – president

The Mozambican president, Daniel Chapo, on Wednesday called for the creation of better conditions for women’s economic growth, highlighting access to credit, land, technology and markets as challenges that still need to be overcome.

Speaking at the opening of the National Dialogue of the 2nd Women’s Economic Forum in Maputo, Chapo noted that funding remains insufficient to ensure women’s economic empowerment, calling for measures to transform subsistence initiatives into sustainable businesses.

“Funding alone is not enough. We need to ensure that funding translates into production, that production finds markets, that markets generate income, and that this income enables women to invest, create jobs and build wealth,” he said.

According to Chapo, barriers persist that hinder the expansion of women-led businesses, particularly regarding access to bank credit and factors of production: “We need to remove barriers that hinder women’s access to credit, particularly bank credit, (…) to land, technology and markets”.

Land

Chapo also argued that access to land must be accompanied by technical assistance, irrigation systems, finance and marketing opportunities, especially for women in rural areas.

“We want to ensure that access to land is accompanied by technical assistance, irrigation, finance and marketing opportunities so that rural women can turn their labour into production, income and prosperity,” he said.

He also highlighted the family responsibilities shouldered by women as one of the factors limiting their economic participation, calling for investment in nurseries and other community-based care solutions.

“Investing in nurseries, children’s centres and community-based care solutions is also an investment in women’s economic participation. Women’s time is equally an economic resource that we must value,” he stated.

Sectors traditionally dominated by men

Chapo also called for a greater female presence in sectors traditionally dominated by men, such as energy, logistics, industry, construction, oil and gas, the digital economy and the blue economy.

“We do not just want women who scrape by on their businesses. We want women who thrive, invest, create jobs and move from subsistence to larger-scale production,” he declared.

He also called on the financial sector to develop products tailored to the realities of women entrepreneurs, and on large companies to create more opportunities for women-led businesses.

“We need a financial system that recognises women’s productive potential and offers them real opportunities for growth,” he concluded.

Source: Lusa