October Volume 3, Issue 8
Mediterranean DIGEST WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE HELD IN TUNISIA— BUILDING MOMENTUM The objective of the conference, held on October 2nd in Tunis (Tunisia) was to utilize the recent Overseas Development Institute report (ODI), funded by Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation. The entry point that generated discussion, whether the mechanisms which explain women’s empowerment to date in Tunisia can be exploited/used/drawn upon, was to reflect on how further progress can be made towards women’s empowerment in general, also in business and entrepreneurship. The Conference focused on identifying specific barriers to further progress in women’s entrepreneurship in Tunisia with an open discussion as to how the mechanisms identified can be used to address them. Conference participants included: Samira Merai, Minister for Women and Family affairs (Tunisia), Hardy Ostry, Resident Representative - Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Saida Garrach, Senior Advisor to the President of Tunisia, Heli Järvinen, Member of the Finnish Parliament, H.E. Mrs. Nagma Mohamed Mallick, Ambassador of India in Tunisia, Cristina Natoli, Director of Italian Cooperation in Tunisia, Vikky Chambers, Overseas Development Initiative - London (ODI), Prof. Emna Ben Arab (panelist), Professor Riadh Zghal (panelist), Donia Chaouch (moderator), Hassen Zargouni, Sigma Conseil, Leila Belkhiria, Vice President Chambre Nationale des Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises, Najoua Kooli, Expert in ICT, Wafa Laamiri, 1ére Vice Présidente Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants, DG CRIT (Tunisia), Mabrouka Gasmi, Director Groupement d’Interet Economique Sejnania, Hédi Mechri (moderator), Amira Yahyaoui, Founder
Cristina Natoli, Director of Italian Cooperation in Tunisia, Saida Garrach, Senior Advisor to the President, H.E. Nagma Mohamed Mallick, Ambassador of India in Tunisia, Samira Merai, Minister of Women's Affairs, Tunisia, Heli Järvinen, Member of the Finnish Parliament, Ghazi Ben Ahmed, Executive Director, Mediterranean Development Institute (MDI)