Our Mission:
Invest in women. Invest in the world.
The G7 Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) propose a bold commitment to inspire other DFIs to take the 2X Challenge: Financing for Women and invest in the world’s women.
The G7 Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) propose a bold commitment to inspire other DFIs to take the 2X Challenge: Financing for Women and invest in the world’s women.
The “2X Challenge” calls for the G7 and other DFIs to join together to collectively mobilize $3 billion.
*Other capital includes contributions from governments, foundations, DFIs that are not part of the 2X Challenge, and other non-private sector sources.
Over 200 businesses in the developing world received investment over the last three years
The development of energy and infrastructure projects in developing countries often affects the social, economic and political climate of surrounding communities. Developers must actively engage with local communities, especially women, due to increased risks related to Gender Based Violence and Harassment.
Integra’s seeks to deliver improved wellbeing of the underserved in South East Asia via access to affordable and responsible financial services and healthcare.
Women are often excluded from financial markets and are limited in their economic and social potential. The “2X Challenge” committed to address these issues by investing 3 billion dollars in projects and companies that improve women’s access to leadership positions.
What is the 2X Challenge?
The “2X Challenge” calls for the G7 and other DFIs to join together to collectively mobilize $3 billion in commitments that provide women in developing country markets with improved access to leadership opportunities, quality employment, finance, enterprise support and products and services that enhance economic participation and access.
· Credit gap: Women SME’s worldwide face a $320 billion shortfall in access to credit despite women anecdotally having lower non-performing loan rates than men.
· A multi-trillion dollar opportunity: According to a McKinsey study, closing the gender labor gap could add $28 trillion, or 26 percent, to annual global GDP in 2025.
· The world’s largest emerging market: The female economy represents a market more than twice the size of India and China combined. By 2028, female consumers will control around $15 trillion of global consumer spending.
Closing the gender labor gap could add $28 trillion, or 26 percent, to annual global GDP in 2025.
By 2028, female consumers will control around $15 trillion of global consumer spending.
Despite women anecdotally having lower non-performing loan rates than men.
The U.S. is thrilled to accept the 2X Challenge to invest in the world’s women. OPIC has prioritized investing in women because we understand that when women succeed, families succeed, communities succeed, and nations succeed. By joining forces with the G7 DFIs, we are sending a powerful message to the markets that by investing in women we can change the world.
The business case for investing in women is clear. We believe that this initiative can help set the standard for how investors can target capital and influence to ensure that investee businesses achieve gender-balanced boards and management teams, finance women entrepreneurs, provide women access to decent jobs and build gender-smart products and services that serve women customers across the value chain. All while at the same time creating high development impact.
Deposits and loans marked the beginning of a new phase, with an unpredicted commitment and an increasingly proactive role in the next three years supporting economic growth and sustainable development.
Promotion of women’s business and entrepreneurship is the key to sustaining and to maximizing the social and economic development. JICA is committed to further investing in women’s economic empowerment by exploring innovative approaches in partnership with our diverse stakeholders, while we enhance our support to achieve women’s health and education, and the elimination of gender-based violence.
Women are the cornerstone of development as they spend more on family expenses that improve livelihoods, like nutrition, medicine, and education. Investments that improve the lives of women and girls have been shown to have an impact not only on the individual, but on their families, their communities, their local economies and, as a consequence, countries along with them.
Initiatives dedicated to women’s empowerment such as microfinance or education have demonstrated their economic and social benefits for society at large. Proparco is proud to participate in this ambitious and collective push intended to fuel the global momentum for inclusive growth and gender equality.
Women’s empowerment as leaders, entrepreneurs, valued workforce, consumers and community members – important goals to which development finance institutions can contribute with their investments. Within our 8 billion portfolio invested in almost 600 private companies, financial institutions, funds and project finance, we contribute among others to better working conditions with a particular focus on women in certain sectors. Together with our partners in the 2X Challenge we can boost gender-smart investments and innovation to empower women and girls worldwide!
JBIC welcomes the launch of the 2X Challenge initiatives, which enhance the empowerment of women entrepreneurs and in the workforce internationally under G7 framework. We are looking forward to collaborating with all 2X Challenge participants.
2X refers to the multiplier effect of investing in women. The 2X Challenge will demonstrate that innovative financing catalyzes capital to advance gender equality.
A DFI is a type of development bank, often backed by a national government, that relies on private capital to invest in emerging markets and the developing world. As international development practices move away from a direct aid-based model, DFIs are playing a larger role to achieve the same developmental outcomes through investments.